Home Stretch

We are down to the last two weeks before Baby #3's due date. I'm not sure how that's possible. In many ways it has seemed like he will never get here and in other ways it feels like the time has passed in the blink of an eye. This is the longest we've ever waited to get a baby. We've known he was going to join our family since September 10th, almost five months of waiting to meet him. We are so anxious to meet him and love him! I can't help but moon over Tucker's baby pictures and hope he is as beautiful as his big brother was when he arrived!
I think the lesson God had me learn as we walked through Tucker's adoption was about his sovernighty. About His plans and not mine. About surrendering and trusting Him and how He wanted to build our family.
This time I think the lesson is more about His faithfulness and guidance. I group Bennett's and Casen's adoptions together because most of the journeys have been shared. We have seen Him provide and come through in so many ways! From a free crib to over 3,500 diapers given to us by our church family.
Financially is one of the most evident ways we've seen God's faithfulness. We started this adoption journey with about $12,000 in savings. This was huge for us. We worked hard to have that money to cover most of one adoption. But then we found out that we'd need to cover two. We had NO idea where that money would all come from. With a lot of sweat equity and the loving support and help of our friends and family we raised almost $7,000 by selling t-shirts, having garage sales, doing a lunch and from the sweet donations of friends who gave their commissions for parties. We also applied for every grant we could find. We got turned down from several, but four of them awarded us money that totaled $12,500! We are going to be so close to two totally paid for adoptions! The ONLY way that this happened is because of God's faithful provision! There is no reasonable explanation for how we have come up with over $30,000 in less then six months. No explanation. It's so humbling to look at the figures and see how things have come together. When I look at all of this I don't doubt that these two boys were meant to be ours.
Thank you to all who have prayed, encouraged, donated, helped and loved our family through these days of change.
Would you please pray extra for us in these last two weeks before Casen arrives? Here are some specific requests...
For K, Tucker & Casen's Birth Mom: Pray for peace, comfort and grace. Pray for her protection! She lives in a much different world then we do. Pray for people to love and encourage her in her decision to place. Pray for grace and comfort as she makes the hardest decision a mother can make. Pray for a healthy last two weeks of pregnancy and a smooth delivery.
For Casen: Pray for his health and well being. Pray he delivers easily and that our attachment to him is seamless and easy. Pray for protection over these last days he spends in K's womb.
For Chris & I: Pray for peace. No matter what. We've both worried a lot more with this placement then with the other two that something could fall through. The thought is heartbreaking, but the reality of adoption is the Birth Mom can change her mind and often does. Pray we are able to extend love and grace to K in a way that points her to Jesus regardless of her decision to add to our family or not.
For Tucker & Bennett: Pray for a smooth transition to the changes they won't really understand. Pray for patience and calmness for these two big brothers as we learn how to do life with three sons. Pray they fall in love with Casen easily and that we become a family of five as smoothly as we became a family of four.
Thank you friends for your love and encouragement! We can't imagine doing life without the amazing support system we have. We are blessed beyond measure!