$$

I HAVE to give you an update on where we are with saving and raising the money we need for our adoption. God has been so wonderfully good to us and HE definitely deserves the Glory!

The last update that I gave you was when we still needed $18,130.00!! Well, I'm honored to tell you that OUR GOD provided 9,175.00!!! (through people giving, us saving, and miraculous things!!) Which leaves only $8,955.00 needed. Do you SEE how good He is? Be encouraged that He provides when you are obediant to do what HE has planned for you. 

TO ALL of you who have prayed....You know who you are. I hope you know that I KNOW it is priceless and I cannot give enough thanks to you for speaking to God on our behalf!! How is it possible that God would use you to speak out for us?! I am unable to comprehend that kind of love but my gratitude is HUGE!


I have to give thanks publicly, to the people in our lives who have given toward our growing tribe. (financially or in some other helpful and cool way) I am honored and humbled...
Our family-Mary Jean Powers, Phil and Debbie Powers, Dave and Jeanie Rhoades, Rocky and Jovan Rhoades, Tredessa and Ryan Faaland, Stormie Rhoades, Tristan and Stephanie Kelley, and Jon and Holly Powers. Our Friends-Judd and Ellie Pickett, Michael and Stephanie Simants, Felix and Ashley Gilbert, Chad and Joanna Hoffman, Cody and Mandy Bohall, David and Casree Holland, Mike and Jennifer Orenstein, Todd and Kimberlee Herbic, Tom and Rushelle Hathoot, *Anyone who played Skee ball at the Christmas Party and payed to play=), Dale and Patti Paris, Scott Souther, Bruce and Mary Ellsworth, Matt and Leslie Richard, Scott and Jill McCollum, Daniel and Christina Miles.

O-F-F-I-C-I-A-L

 We had a second Christmas yesterday when the FedEx "Angel" dropped off our long anticipated Photo Books. These books include our Birth family letter, tons of pictures of us, and stuff about us for the Birth Families.

Hunter patiently waiting to open our Photo Books

Dave got to open the box and be the first to hold one!! We "oooed and ahhed."

 6 Photo Books 
+ 1 Check for $8,375 all mailed on 12/28/2011 = 
OFFICIAL status with the Adoption Agency and Dave, Tara & Hunter on the "Waiting Birth Family" list on their website!!

Me at the Post Office mailing our precious books to the Agency.

*ahem* I have an announcement.

WE 

ARE

APPROVED!!!!!

We found out yesterday, Tuesday, December 20th at 3:02pm that our home study was approved. 

Am I freaking out? Yes, I am! Did I scream when I got off the phone with my caseworker, Emily? Yes, I did! Did I have butterflies ALL day waiting to hear if they would approve us to have a child in our home? Why, of course!!

Finding out yesterday that we are approved was like going to the Dr. (when you're pregnant), getting an ultrasound, and finding out that you are pregnant for sure and not only relying on the pregnancy test anymore. We officially have the HOPE of a child entering our lives soon. We don't know when, who, what, etc. but we KNOW. 

Now, I'm off to wait......

First Trimester.

You know how I said before that adoption has some similarities to pregnancy? I feel like we just finished the first trimester. I'm serious too. You know, exhaustion, sickness (So weird, but I actually was sick for an entire month!;)), excited, eager to tell everyone and secretly hoping that noone else will tell so you get to, talking about it non-stop, praying a lot that you can actually raise this child, kinda freaking out a little, reading every little website or book about where you are in the process....

One of the main differences is that instead of feeling a lot of the physical stuff, you go through a lot of brain work. Lots of paperwork and finding the right pictures and trying to convince someone that you are credible and would make a great parent for someone's child.

We had our third and final Home Study interview today at our home. We walked through our home with our case worker and she had to check on smoke alarms, water heaters, etc and make sure we were sanitary. (not a hard one to pass for this clean freak!) She had an interview with Hunter that went so well. She kept quoting him to us during the last part of our interview. That's my boy!;) She asked him what he thought Adoption was. His answer, "It's when a kid is part of one family and then they get to be a part of another family." WOW! I'm still thinking he knows more than I do. She approved the home inspection part and didn't give us anything to do for our home. Yea! We should find out within the next week if we are approved officially for the complete home study and I'm so ready and very excited.

The Home inspection part of our Home Study, Approved.

4 Thumbs up for a good last interview. The flash really liked my face!

Here we go. Number two.

Did you know that we have completed our first interview for our Home Study and tomorrow we are doing our second interview? NO?!? That's my fault for not writing about it! 

This was Dave and I on our first interview which we were mostly excited and a little scared for a couple of weeks ago..

It went well. We sat in the office and answered a lot of questions about ourselves. Some questions were extremely easy and others were difficult. There are things you think you know about yourself until someone asks you point blank and you find it very difficult to find the words. 

Tomorrow is the first time our case worker comes to our home to look around and then Dave and I are separated for a private 2 hour personal interview. This interview is definitely more foreboding but I just keep telling myself that I'll be fine because I have nothing to hide. (which is true, by the way;))

After this interview there is a third and final interview and another check on our home to make sure it is up to code to be approved for our Home Study. AHH! Anticipation is building....

In other news. Christmas is coming and we have been decorating our home. Hunter and I pulled stockings out and we both decided that we should definitely hang one up for the baby. Three turns to four....

Four Stockings

Holy Jeans. (jeans having holes in them)

This is my husband and the Daddy of my children...

David Michael Powers

This man is my match. He desires Jesus above all else, he makes me laugh, he takes care of me when I'm sick, he watches to see what I need, he listens and cares about what I have to say, he takes time for our son, he dreams and he sees his dreams come true, he speaks well of me when I'm not around, he tells our love story often, he encourages me toward my dreams, he prays with and for me, he knows my faults and loves me even more, he teaches our son the Word of God, he sings and plays guitar for us and for Jesus, he loves people, he is intentional about learning from people who know more than him, he likes to come home and be with us, he is not afraid of making lots of silly faces and voices, he can tell me where to find stuff in the Bible, he taught me that confrontation can be a good thing, he lets me verbally process everyday as much as I want, he is beautiful and I love him and LIKE him very much.

He told me the other day, after I mentioned that I could not believe he had holes in his newer and more expensive jeans, that he didn't care about having holes in his jeans right now. He said that he understood this time of life is to be down on the floor with Hunter. Allow me to explain what this means: Dave and Hunter have wrestling matches, light sabor fights, kung fu madness, tickle fights and the like on the floor on a daily basis. Dave realizes that this is a season and he is not going to miss it because of holes in his jeans. We'll keep buying jeans and they'll keep playing on the floor. What a great daddy!

Here is what Hunter says about his Daddy...

"I like Daddy and boy day. I like my Daddy. I like that he takes me to Xtreme Challenge and Chuckee Cheese. He is my Dad and I love him a lot, a lot, a lot, a lot."

This whole adoption process really started with Dave. He started the conversation in the car on the way to Iowa back in March. We had no idea that conversation would have us where we are today. We are filled with joy!! 

I love you, my sweet husband and I can't wait to see you with the other children that God gives to us.

Tara Jean Powers

 My beautiful sister, Tredessa Rhoades will be getting married at the end of this month to Ryan Faaland. We couldn't be happier. We are busy making beautiful decorations and hunting for our outfits and praising God that He brought Ryan into Tredessa's life. Something that I adore about Tredessa is that she always takes time with her nieces and nephews no matter what time of life she is in. She definitely has been termed the "Favorite Aunt" by a few kiddos. ;) This story is no exception. During this busy season of wedding planning she took time to play, LIFE with Hunter yesterday and here is the story she wrote....

 

"Played the board game, Life, with my nephew, Hunter, today. He was thrilled everytime he got any money and would constantly chant, "I have more money than you!" in a tone of competition...to which I would very humbly respond, "Nuh-uh, I do!" After he watched me land on the spaces where I got twin boys and a baby girl to add to my little vehicle and he hadn't landed on any kid spaces, he glanced ...at the money that he highly valued, because it meant that he would beat me, and turned to me and asked, "Can I adopt a baby if I gave you some money?" My eyes got a little misty. "Of course, you can." I loved that he didn't ask if he could just take a couple of the little people pegs and put them in his car as his kids, but that he realized that it was a precious thing that he was asking for and it would cost him something that he valued. The sacrifice was worth it to him. So he adopted two boys..." -Tredessa Rhoades

I bawled and am still bawling as I reread this precious story. As a parent, I'm trying to prepare my son for adoption and I think he just might be getting it.

Profile.

 Profile: to produce or present a history, description, or analysis of: 

October is the month that I'm working on my Adoption Profile Book. Can I just explain how hard this is? In essence you are choosing pictures and words that depict your life for someone who doesn't know you at all. 

One blogger wrote about making theirs and how it is kind of like a first date and you want your profile book to stand out to prospective parents. Another blogger wrote that she felt she put too much time into "selling" herself and not just making it with the trust that it will be in the right hands at the right time. I'm desiring to make ours with excellence and trusting that it will go where it needs to go. Most of the books that I've been perusing on the internet and what I'm finding are a lot of books that look like scrap books because everyone has to use the same template. I'm going to have to say this and I know it will offend some people but I very strongly dislike scrapbooking and scrapbooks and anything that remotely LOOKS like a scrapbook. (sorry scrapbookers) I desperately desire to make this profile book without it looking like hearts, rainbows, and cheesy flowers exploded all over the page!

I'm grateful that I have friends and family that desire to help me with this process (Major thanks to Stormie and Ellie).

These next few weeks I will be pouring myself, my heart, my mind, into making this book one that is an honest, beautiful portrait of who my family is (I may have to add a flower or two.;)) 

Profile book specifications

I am so visual that I got a blank book so that I can write in exactly what I want on each and every page.

Priceless.

Paperwork for Adoption!

Envelope from Target. $1.99

Mailing envelope to Castle Rock with confirmation. $5.90

Time, energy, love, prayers, tears and paperwork included in the package. $Price.less

I took the paperwork to the post office and asked for insurance. There is no insurance that could cover the cost in this beautiful package. (the post man actually told me so!)

Mailed with love.

We are mailing ALL of our paperwork this week. Phew! Talk about a LOT of work. We did all our FBI work, local police reports, medical exams (Dave said that at the Dr. Office they took at least 3 pints of blood! He's kidding of course it was more like 2 pints *wink, wink), autobiographies, foster to adopt application for the state, work stuff, tax reports, references, and answered many questions that we had NEVER been asked before. It was worth it!

Dear baby Powers,

We mail these papers in with love. 

You are worth it,

Daddy, Mommy & Hunter

Money.

We started out needing this much....

$21,585.00

We now need this much...

$18,130.00

God is providing for our every need. He is allowing us to put a little bit of money in savings every month toward adoption which is a miracle!

Thank you so much to our friends and family for giving out of obedience to Jesus! Thank you for loving our family and the little one which will be in our life VERY soon!

God has provided $3,455.00 in one month!  Aren't you excited to see what He will do next?

On the road again. (update about insurance)

A lot of people have been asking me about what happened with the insurance. Thank you to everyone who is praying for us through all of this! It isn't completely worked out yet but some cool stuff has transpired. I called, Emily (our caseworker from Hope's Promise) to discuss our options. She definitely calmed me down and said they weren't going to stop our process because of this issue and we would go ahead and move forward. This was such a relief because this means we can continue onto our interviews after our paperwork gets turned in to the agency this next week.

Also, Hunter has insurance with CHP+ an organization in Colorado that covers health insurance for kids and families that make only a certain amount of money a year. They say that if one child is eligible your other children are eligible. Now I'm working on getting a signature or something from them that might state that our future child would in fact be covered by them just like Hunter. See? God IS at work. He even cares about the insurance. 

The road block has cleared! On the road again and loving it!

Treasure.

In our story, there is a little boy. His name is Hunter and he is six years old. He is extremely smart, hysterically funny, and uncommonly logical. He loves to wrestle, could watch Star Wars everyday, and doesn't like most foods. (mostly veggies, of course) He will try anything as long as there is no pain involved. He may tickle you non-stop if you allow him to and he still wants mommy to cuddle with him every night before bed. He feels things deeply. When he laughs, he laughs hard and when he cries, he cries hard. He copies everything his daddy does because he wants to be just like him. When he prays, God listens. He is my son. He is our baby's big brother. 

Hunter has been praying with us for 4 years for a baby sister or brother. He has seen me cry and his prayers have comforted me. When we started the adoption process he was so excited. We heard things like, "Can we go pick them up today?" "Can I please have a 4 or 5 year old brother?" Then he would try to barter (he's good at TRYING to get what he wants.) "How about a 3 year old brother?" 

Dave and I have been open to adopting a child 3 years of age and under but with the adoption agency we have chosen it will more than likely be an infant. I've been trying to warm Hunter up to the fact that he will have a baby. It's been working. We were in Target the other day buying a baby gift for a friend and he stood in the baby toy aisle, playing. After awhile he said, "Mommy, I think I do want a baby." My heart beamed. I've also tried telling him that he will get to change ALL of the poopy diapers. I don't know if that helped or not? =) 

We went to the library a few days ago and got a book about becoming an older brother and a DVD too. The DVD was kinda hilarious but I think it got the point across. The children acting in the movie were acting "angry" because their younger sibling was getting all the attention. Hunter turned to me and said, "I won't get angry about that, Mom."  God is preparing my little boy's heart to be a brother.

Hunter and I took some paper and taped it on the wall in the baby's room to write prayers on and draw pictures for him/her. He started writing, and here is what it said: "the babis lic treasure" *translation: "The baby is like a treasure." (I helped to spell treasure) I cried. 

The BaBIs Lic treasure written on the wall in the nursery.

Writing on the wall.

Hunter writing and drawing on the wall.

Hunter is going to be a great big brother to our little treasure. 

 By wisdom a house is built,
   and through understanding it is established;
 through knowledge its rooms are filled
   with rare and beautiful treasures. 

Proverbs 24:3-4

I will give you hidden treasures, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who summons you by name. Isaiah 45:3

The house of the righteous contains great treasure Proverbs 15:6a

 

Secret Place.

 ¹³ For you created my inmost being;
   you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
¹⁴ I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
   your works are wonderful,
   I know that full well.
¹⁵ My frame was not hidden from you
   when I was made in the secret place,
   when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
¹⁶ Your eyes saw my unformed body;
   all the days ordained for me were written in your book
   before one of them came to be. 

My cousin, Melissa and her hubby, Luke.

 I was in Missouri this past weekend and I got to see my lovely cousin, Melissa and her hubby, Luke for an hour or so. (such a bummer it wasn't longer) Melissa has been following our adoption and was praying for us on Sunday morning and prayed Psalm 139:13-16 over us.  She said that the "secret place" stuck out to her because our child is TRULY being formed in a secret place. A couple of people told me this weekend to view this time as pregnancy and really spoke into my life about how the adoption process really is like being pregnant. I'm beginning to see that it truly is. 

• We are preparing our home and a space for this child. (fire extinguishers, smoke alarms, bedroom, crib, safety regulations, etc.)
• We are praying daily for our child.
• We are prepping our son to be a big brother.
• We are financially involved.
• There are physical, emotional, and spiritual complications.
• We are dreaming of how they will look and what their personality will be like.
• We are looking up baby names.
• Some days it feels like forever and other days it feels like it needs to slow down.

My baby is being formed in a secret place that Jesus knows about. 

Thank you, Melissa for praying and sharing from your heart. Thank you to everyone who is praying!

Love, Tara

Roadblock #1

Road Block #1

 I had no idea that we would already be running into road blocks. I wanted to be sure to write this down BEFORE God does something. I want to be able to bring Him glory when He shines through like He always does. We have been frantically filling out paperwork. We have had our fingerprints done, medical exams scheduled, in the process of writing an autobiography (Yes, a VERY long autobiography) My brain has been full of papers and signing and a little scattered because of it. One of the papers we have to fill out is a proof of health insurance and that if we have it the insurance company will cover our adopted child. Dave and I have not had health insurance for 6 years because we are missionaries and it just never fit into the budget so well. Well, I called today about getting insurance and found out that Dave and I are INeligible for health insurance because they look at the adoption sort of like a PRE-existing condition. (A Condition?!) I have to tell you that I have cried and that this is definitely looking like a mountain to me right now. I have calls in to specialized brokers, insurance agencies, etc. Will you pray with us about this situation specifically? 

I knew this adoption road would have road blocks I just wasn't expecting any so soon. 

This is a long journey over many mountains. I can't wait to see what God will do through our story. 

Dear Baby Powers, I dedicate this song to you today:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xz-UvQYAmbg

My Friend, Ellie.

My friend, Ellie Pickett.

My friend Ellie is doing the coolest thing for us! I was astonished when she said to me that she would help us out with our adoption and the honkin huge cost of it!! ;) (Little Dave Powers verbiage there!) She owns two businesses and she offered to help us out with our adoption through her business. The first business is a photography business called, Lilac Photography and she takes portraits, senior pictures, and family photos. (Which are AMAZING, by the way!!) www.lilacphotography.com Check some of our family pics out below.

Her other business is called, Photo Card Chef. She makes wedding invitations, Christmas cards, graduation announcements, etc. www.photocardchef.com

Here is how it helps us with our adoption: If you get your photographs done with Lilac Photography she will give us $100 toward our adoption. If you get your cards or invitations printed through Photo Card Chef she will give us %20 of the order toward our adoption. Isn't this the sweetest, coolest, most wonderful and generous thing for her to do? 

If you do decide to print cards or get photographs just go to the website and contact Ellie. Tell her that you heard about her through my blog to make sure the donations can help our adoption. 

www.lilacphotography.com

www.photocardchef.com

Love,

Dave, Tara and Hunter Powers

Lilac Photography-My Family

Lilac Photography-Hunter Powers

Lilac Photography-Me, Hunter and Dave.

Confirmed.

Remember how I told you that I was so emotionally involved when it came to my desire for another child? Remember how I said that I needed God to speak to me in a VERY different way than normal? Well, He did. He originally spoke through Makyla and then confirmed it through a perfect stranger. (I hope to tell her this story in full one day. She is a BIG part in releasing us to choose this agency) I had read all about Hope's Promise online and loved it but still wasn't sure. We had gone to the informational meeting with Emily and we still weren't sure. As we pulled away from Hope's Promise on that Thursday morning, my heart was a little heavy because I still didn't know. I expected to hear an angel choir singing from Heaven or hear a thunderous voice say, "This is the way, walk in it." I heard nothing. The worst part was that Dave didn't necessarily have peace either. I was bummed. I just wanted to KNOW this was the right step at the right place.  

That evening we went to see my son, Hunter perform with his dance class. (Yes, he was in dance and NO, I'm not sorry!) He got to be Jesus in one of the dances and it was so cool! He lights up the room with his energy, smile and his amazing dance moves. Anyway, we went to drop him off before the show began and I happened to be dropping my plate of cookies off at the cookie table for a reception after the show. This lovely woman who I had seen dropping her daughter off at dance class was there at the same time. I had said three words to her before this day and I just happened to ask her about her pregnancy.  As we started talking I found out that this pregnancy was a surprise and that her and her husband were actually going to adopt and had gone through most of the process when they found out they were pregnant. I told her we were just trying to start the process. She asked if we had chosen an agency. I kinda paused and said that we had a meeting that morning with Hope's Promise but we still weren't sure. She looked at me with wide eyes and said, "That's who WE went through and they are the best! I would definitely go with them again if we start the process after this pregnancy!" I think my mouth was hanging open at this moment and my heart was beating with gladness. Do you know how many adoption agencies there are....... I don't either! =)I just KNOW there are a lot! I think I walked out of that place beaming because I felt that God had answered right then and there on the same day. He answered in a way that confirmed it in my heart. I told Dave the story and all he could do was laugh. He laughed because he knew, just like I knew that God answered. Our God is a fantastic communicator and He speaks. Simple and beautiful confirmation.

The next step was to fill out the application and send in our $250 with it. I was so anxious to get it done that I even forgot a few things. We mailed it in and we heard back on Friday, August 19th that our application had been accepted by Hope's Promise. I was one happy girl and my family and I rejoiced.

Me filling out part of the application.

Welcome to my joy.

I missed three phone calls from my husband last night who was frantically trying to get a hold of me with some tremendous news. I finally called him back and he asked if I was sitting down. I KNEW at that moment that it was good news. I took a deep breath in and he said, "We just had $2500 donated to us for adoption!" I screamed. Then he told me he wouldn't be able to hear out of his left ear for awhile.(oops) You see, we needed $2000 to begin the Home Study and we were saving up for it. We then proceeded to have a little praising God moment on the telephone until he walked in and all we could do was hug! I'm pretty sure the rest of the evening I was smiling and I KNOW the rest of the evening I was praising God. 

We have our first of many appointments on Monday morning (WAY faster than I anticipated) to begin the home study process. I can't wait to share with you all that God does through this whole process. I hope you learn a lot with us and I hope your trust in God sky rockets!

Dave and I hugging because we love each other AND because of the awesome news that we have the go ahead to start the Home Study process!!

The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him.

                                                  Psalm 28:7

The first meeting.

The name I remembered from my talk with Kim was the adoption agency called, "Hope's Promise". As I looked and researched their website I just loved what I saw so I wasted no time and contacted the Ft. Collins office to see when we could schedule an informational meeting. I scheduled the meeting for 3 days later on Thursday. I can't explain the anticipation that I felt. I think I imagined floating into the office and saying, "I want to adopt a baby!" and everyone in the office throwing a party for me. Not so. It was a normal meeting full of information. (It's okay to laugh at me!) 

We met with Emily that day. She was wonderful and answered all of our questions thoroughly. That day finally felt like something was beginning but we still hadn't heard a definitive answer from the Lord.

I was so excited when we saw this sign!

 

This was us directly after our meeting with Emily from Hope's Promise. Just being us.

Can I be REAL? (a pause from story)

 

 

Freaking out a little bit.

Dave and I sat down 2 nights ago to go over our next set of papers through the adoption agency. As we read through the papers it began to be evident that you are signing your name on the dotted line that says, "I will pay this large amount of money that you are asking for and I will pay it at the exact time you are asking me for it."  UGH! Well, I went to sleep fairly heavy hearted because of the amount of money and honestly thinking there was no way to sign those papers and feel okay. Yes, I had a freak out session and truthfully we were so tired that we didn't even think to stop and pray right then about what we should do. (Boy, am I glad that I didn't write a post the next day because it would have been all about me and my poor sad, sob story!) 

I'm NOT freaking out anymore! Isn't God so good? Dave and I prayed, prayed, and prayed again through the day yesterday. We had a discussion at the end of the day and here are some of the outcomes we had. 

-$21,000 is NOT too much for God

-God LOVES to take care of His kids and the orphans.

-God definitely has adoption on His awesome "Father's Heart!"*In love God the Father predestined us to be adopted as His sons and daughters through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will (Ephesians 1:5)

-We have seen God raise some incredible amounts of money for Heaven Fest and our other ministries through our non-profit! 

-We are being obediant.

We took time to Remember who God is...

Enough said. 

We are moving ahead. 

Love,
Tara

He spoke through Makyla.

Dave, Hunter and I went to church @Resurrection Fellowship on Saturday night, August 6th. We have been enjoying our Saturday night church sessions because we lead so much on Sunday mornings that it is hard for us to attend anywhere else. (ps. I actually really like sleeping in on Sunday mornings when we are off...shh.;)) We had to sit in a place that I despise. You can't see very well and you tend to feel very disconnected because there are too many things to observe going on all around you. Well, we definitely sat there for a reason! (more than one reason but I'm only telling you one!) When the service was almost over the woman who was sitting in front of us went to get her baby girl who I assumed was about 5 months old and she was a doll! She kept smiling at me and I made all the correct "goo goo, ga ga"voices to keep her interested in me. (see what I mean?! Church is in full force and I'm completely distracted!) Well, after service was over I CLEARLY heard someone say, "I can't believe she's adopted!" You hear what your listening for, right? I immediately turned to the Mommy of the girl and asked if she was adopted. You guessed it, Makyla WAS adopted and Makyla looked just like her mommy, Kim. Kim and I started talking and she told me about her non-profit that she and her husband were just starting called, Kids for Kyla. (www.kidsforkyla.com) and then proceeded to tell me a couple of agencies that I should check out. Truthfully, I heard the agency names and just kinda blocked it out not thinking anything of it. On Monday I went to search some stuff on the web and I actually remembered one of the names that Kim had suggested to me. I typed it in and LOVED what I saw. 

REZ church on a Saturday night.

Waiting and Weeding.

My husband and I have a non-profit that does some pretty insanely cool stuff, (www.worshipandtheword.com) which includes a music festival. Needless to say, it keeps our Summers busy. I am NOT complaining because I wouldn't trade it for the world. I like being obedient to what God asks of us. I live a VERY adventurous life. Heaven Fest kept us so busy that we felt we needed to put adoption processing on hold for the month of July which was hard but right. We knew that in August we would be going full steam ahead and we knew the BIG decision of picking an agency was our next step. We kept praying and seeking and I just knew that I needed God to speak to us in a different way than usual. The reason I knew this was because when you are waiting to add a child into your life for 4 and a half years you discover that you hear wrong a lot about something you are so emotionally involved in. I knew I couldn't deal with the pain of choosing or hearing wrong again and so I asked God to be VERY evident in this process. So we waited to hear His voice and we began the search for the agency that He wanted...

Me searching the web about adoption instead of painting my nails which STILL desperately need painted.

Lots of choices.

Hope's Promise adoption agency Informational Packet

Since May of this year we have been praying and discussing adoption seriously. I can't believe how much there is to learn. New vocabulary words, many agencies to choose from, asking yourself weird questions about the children you would be able to parent, etc. We started this crazy process by calling our friend who had just adopted and asked her EVERY question we could think to ask. (Thank you, Brannon!!!)We started down the road of Foster to adopt and quickly felt no peace for that avenue of adoption and then we began the grueling process of choosing an agency. Harder than expected. There are so many agencies to choose from.

Just the three of us.

Dave, Tara and Hunter 2007

Four and a half years ago (2007) we decided to try to have another child. (no pregnancy, many tears and a lot of pain, yet much life and a lot of laughter later and here we are on the verge of adoption (2011)) My favorite thing-All 3 of us prayed and heard from God and are ready to begin this adventure!!

Welcome to our story of adoption through photographs

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