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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