The past 2 weeks seem like a blur. All of our grant paperwork has been sent off for over a week now. We have heard back from one and have seemed to make it through one of their hoops. We had to send in an update for that grant, and we immediately did that. It seems like this one will be reviewed within the next two weeks. We pray for the group of people who will be reviewing all of the many applications as they will make an impact on many lives. We continue to pray that God will provide the necessary funding we need to bring our child home. We have received about 50% of the money needed to fund the adoption. We will also have to pay for the legal costs, which seems small compared to the amount needed to adopt.
We have been slowly but surely getting the baby's room ready. We have moved the desk out of the room and also lots of other "stuff". (Now we have to find a new spot for all that stuff.)
In less than two weeks Mary Beth will be graduating with her Master's degree in teaching. She finished up the work for her last class this weekend, what a relief! However, she was required to go to some preschool training and is still working on that homework. The paperwork has been very hard since January. It has been very difficult to juggle adoption paperwork, master's class work, preschool class work, on top of teaching full time and being a wife. We are looking forward to life slowing down a bit and 'enjoying' the wait!?
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Come thou fount of every blessing...
Some friends of ours received "the" phone call today that they have been matched!!! We rejoice with them and are so excited, but they covet your prayers as the baby is due early May.
We now have our profile online so birthparents can browse there as well. It's certainly a simplified version of our book. You can see it by going to http://www.bethany.org/A55798/bethanyWWW.nsf/0/7DF0C7DDE9687986852571F000587F5C
from there select Iowa and we are on page 2.
Just a little bit of excitement that we wanted to share with you tonight! It's these little steps that God gives usto hold on to!
I dragged Nate outside earlier this evening to do something he "doesn't like to do" (I just say he's never done it before....) Anyway, in school recently we've been making kites, talking about wind and even flying kites. Today was a perfect day, windy, but not gusty gales! So I said, ok, we're going outside to fly a kite - he did not want to participate - "it's something you do when you're a kid" - well, I said I'm 26 and did it twice this week, so let's go! Well, not too long after being out in an open field I caught a smile on his face. I knew he'd enjoy it!
So this whole adoption process is like flying a kite...we can only go as far in this process as we take each step forward and make it happen just like the kite can only go and fly as much as the wind is blowing. And just because the wind is blowing doesn't mean the kite flies perfectly. It dips, swirls, takes nose dives, soars...etc. Today as we reflect, pray, and have renewed excitement of adoption we give all praise and glory to God who keeps the adoption winds blowing so that we may dip, swirl, soar and sometimes even take nose dives.
He is the author and perfector of our story...and it's being told.
(so this was going to be a short update....not so!)
We now have our profile online so birthparents can browse there as well. It's certainly a simplified version of our book. You can see it by going to http://www.bethany.org/A55798/bethanyWWW.nsf/0/7DF0C7DDE9687986852571F000587F5C
from there select Iowa and we are on page 2.
Just a little bit of excitement that we wanted to share with you tonight! It's these little steps that God gives usto hold on to!
I dragged Nate outside earlier this evening to do something he "doesn't like to do" (I just say he's never done it before....) Anyway, in school recently we've been making kites, talking about wind and even flying kites. Today was a perfect day, windy, but not gusty gales! So I said, ok, we're going outside to fly a kite - he did not want to participate - "it's something you do when you're a kid" - well, I said I'm 26 and did it twice this week, so let's go! Well, not too long after being out in an open field I caught a smile on his face. I knew he'd enjoy it!
So this whole adoption process is like flying a kite...we can only go as far in this process as we take each step forward and make it happen just like the kite can only go and fly as much as the wind is blowing. And just because the wind is blowing doesn't mean the kite flies perfectly. It dips, swirls, takes nose dives, soars...etc. Today as we reflect, pray, and have renewed excitement of adoption we give all praise and glory to God who keeps the adoption winds blowing so that we may dip, swirl, soar and sometimes even take nose dives.
He is the author and perfector of our story...and it's being told.
(so this was going to be a short update....not so!)
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Video
The video posted to the left of this blog has been an inspiration to us. (choose the top one - I wish I knew how to only show the one video I want - not the 'top 4' - oh well for now I guess!) Our view of a birthmother has changed significantly. This video has played a major role in that. For those of you who don't know, Mark Schultz was adopted and the song Everything to Me is about his birthmom.
We do not know your view of a "birthmother" but we hope and pray that this video will help shape a positive image in your mind. We truly believe that the birthmom of our child is a good person. We want our child to know that as well. This is an incredible sacrifice that she is making. She chose life for her child, however her grieving is not over. When we are on our mountain top of being placed with a child she will be walking through the valley - can you imagine making that decision with one of your children? It is so special and we will be blessed by her selflessness.
We want to thank you for your thoughts, prayers, words of encouragement and financial sacrifice you have made to us. You have shown us a great community of love and we are excited to bring a child up with friends and family like you!
**Prayer Requests**
-we finish up our grant applications - hopefully they will all be submitted by the end of the week. -the grant "people" will see our incredible love and bless us financially.
-we have several friends that we have met along this process who are adopting who needs prayers too.
-God's ultimate and perfect timing be shown to us.
We do not know your view of a "birthmother" but we hope and pray that this video will help shape a positive image in your mind. We truly believe that the birthmom of our child is a good person. We want our child to know that as well. This is an incredible sacrifice that she is making. She chose life for her child, however her grieving is not over. When we are on our mountain top of being placed with a child she will be walking through the valley - can you imagine making that decision with one of your children? It is so special and we will be blessed by her selflessness.
We want to thank you for your thoughts, prayers, words of encouragement and financial sacrifice you have made to us. You have shown us a great community of love and we are excited to bring a child up with friends and family like you!
**Prayer Requests**
-we finish up our grant applications - hopefully they will all be submitted by the end of the week. -the grant "people" will see our incredible love and bless us financially.
-we have several friends that we have met along this process who are adopting who needs prayers too.
-God's ultimate and perfect timing be shown to us.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Profile Book is now out there!
Hey everyone! It's been a little while since a post, so I thought that I would give a little update on our lives. Its been a very busy little stretch for us for several reasons. Tonight, I, Nate, am a bachelor. Mary Beth is at a conference in Cedar Falls, IA, so it is me and the kitties (who I may add are very loving right now as I try typing). So she has been preparing for this event, and part of her preparations are getting things ready for her substitue teacher too.
We also have been working pretty hard on our grant applications. Tonight I handed the first completed application in at the Katelyn's Fund meeting in Sioux Center. So that felt pretty good getting that "checked off" the list.
Our big adoption news is that we now are "officially waiting" because our profile book is now available for birthmothers to examine. This is very exciting for us! It's also amazingly intimidating knowing that any day now we could become parents. But yet, way exciting!
My back is better. Hooray for that.
We have been continuing to get some donations in. The Lord is providing. We continue to ask for his guidance and providence in our journey.
Thanks for stoppin' by our blog!
We also have been working pretty hard on our grant applications. Tonight I handed the first completed application in at the Katelyn's Fund meeting in Sioux Center. So that felt pretty good getting that "checked off" the list.
Our big adoption news is that we now are "officially waiting" because our profile book is now available for birthmothers to examine. This is very exciting for us! It's also amazingly intimidating knowing that any day now we could become parents. But yet, way exciting!
My back is better. Hooray for that.
We have been continuing to get some donations in. The Lord is providing. We continue to ask for his guidance and providence in our journey.
Thanks for stoppin' by our blog!
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Some are asking...
...when is the best time to give to our adoption process. In all honesty - we need it now! We cannot proceed with the adoption until we reach our next financial hurdle. We wrote a significantly high check today and we have a stretch to go. Please prayerfully consider assisting us in our faith walk.
...will this money hurt us as we apply for grants? We have already started applying, so the money you donate now won't be counted towards those, because they are already sent in. Some grants want to be the last stepping stone to bringing home our baby - so they want to see most of the $$ paid, while others are geared for those who need financial assistance in this process. (Does this make any sense???) So ultimately what is or is not paid will not "hurt" us.
...how Nate's back is doing...he's in pain. About a week ago he started having difficulties and he's not been sleeping well or moving well for that matter either. Pray for healing.
...how our birthdays went...they were good - we basically celebrated this weekend on Nate's bday. My bday today wasn't anything too special except spending it with my students and then this evening with Nate as he helped me sell books! (Any money that is made with my Usborne Books business (www.ubah.com/g2749) will be put straight to our adoption fund!)
...is our book being shown? No, not until our next financial hurdle is cleared.
...how do we give? In a past post you can get two addresses where to send a check. You can give anonymously through Bethany or send it to our home address and we'll forward it on.
...who's going to win the World Series...depends on who you ask.
Thanks for checking up on us!
...will this money hurt us as we apply for grants? We have already started applying, so the money you donate now won't be counted towards those, because they are already sent in. Some grants want to be the last stepping stone to bringing home our baby - so they want to see most of the $$ paid, while others are geared for those who need financial assistance in this process. (Does this make any sense???) So ultimately what is or is not paid will not "hurt" us.
...how Nate's back is doing...he's in pain. About a week ago he started having difficulties and he's not been sleeping well or moving well for that matter either. Pray for healing.
...how our birthdays went...they were good - we basically celebrated this weekend on Nate's bday. My bday today wasn't anything too special except spending it with my students and then this evening with Nate as he helped me sell books! (Any money that is made with my Usborne Books business (www.ubah.com/g2749) will be put straight to our adoption fund!)
...is our book being shown? No, not until our next financial hurdle is cleared.
...how do we give? In a past post you can get two addresses where to send a check. You can give anonymously through Bethany or send it to our home address and we'll forward it on.
...who's going to win the World Series...depends on who you ask.
Thanks for checking up on us!
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