Well, what a week we have had!!! I am proud to announce the birth of my beautiful neice, Aubrynne! I am so in love with her! I didn't know you could love somthing so much that just lays there and sleeps! She was born August 19, 2007 in the afternoon. Eric and I were at the hospital, just waiting, wondering how it would be.
Would we be happy? sad? emotional? hardened? Well, we were a little of all of them.... so excited and proud to be aunt's and uncle's, so happy for Bryan and Amy and for all the family, yet so so overcome with sadness in our hearts due to our infertility. We felt guilty for feeling all those emotions. We cried, we thought, we prayed. And God was faithful to send His Spirit to comfort us in our time of emotional need.
Then, we really feel that God is healing our hearts. So many people have been so wonderful to us, so loving, gentle and kind. We appreciate that more than they can know. Just when we were feeling the most healing this week of our pain from sunday, we get the news...Eric's sister is pregnant! We love her so much more than she realizes that we do. Instead of our focus being on our own infertility, God had turned our hearts to her and the situation that she is in. We are thankful that He is once again faithful. Neither of my sister-in-laws would ever intentionally hurt us and we know that one hundred percent....and that is what makes it easier to bear.
ONE conclusion of our week that we have come to is that God intends for us to have community with each other. He gave us family and friends, other believers who can help pick us up when we have been knocked down. I am amazed at how intricately he planned human life. Eric and I know that we need our friends and family in order to survive this difficult place. We are so thankful to him that we have them! \
Orientation for adoption is on September 7. 2 weeks from today!!! Please pray for us as we prepare to start this awesome journey. We Love You All.
Friday, August 24, 2007
Sunday, August 12, 2007
the journey begins...
God is so faithful to me, in every cirmcumstance in my life! When I was sixteen and making plans for the rest of my life, like sixteen year olds do, I never would have dreamed that I would be dealing with an indefinite period of infertility at 25 years old. I expected to be married with at child right now, being a mom, which is all I ever really wanted to do. But, of course, nothing ever turns out just like we think it will. And, I am finding that in most cases, I am glad my plans don't supercede God's. The past year has been difficult, emotionally, for Eric and I. We learned 3 or 4 months ago that we would have to do invitro-fertilization in order to conceive a child ( atleast according to our doctor.) I am starting my blog with this post because I think it is important in our journey of adoption. I know that this is so long, but like I said, it is vital in understanding where we are presently, for you to see where we've been.
Learning that we are infertile has been the most difficult and trying thing I'e ever been through. With all the ups and downs, the emotional rollercoaster of the monthly let downs. I wish I had journaled more through that time. I know I felt sadness about our inability to conceive; anger, jealousy, envy and anxiety all but took over my body! It has been difficult to see pregnant people at work in the ER, who don't want their babies, who are devastated to find out of their pregnancy, who are planning to abort or who have recently intentionally aborted. Eric and I both are very different when it comes to dealing with it, and we have frequently felt alone and isolated, even from each other.
Some verses of a song I proclaimed all the time to God: My heart is heavy and my days are long. I lift my eyes up in the night. My heart it weighs me down, but your burden is light. So Lord, come walk with me til my heart can see all the bounties that your grace can bring.... Holy Spirit, rest upon me. Breath of God, touch my soul. Come unfailing love of Jesus. Rest upon us....
So, anyways...the though of adoption enters the picture! I began to think of adoption, for no apparent reason that I recall. I know that I my first thought was that I could never be an adoptive parent, Eric could, but not me. Then I remember my heart beginning to soften to the idea that maybe adoption could be part of God's plan for us, through our infertility. I was surprised at the response my family gave. Some of them had already thought of us adopting. An old friend wrote an email of encouragement to me, and reminded me of my mission-mindedness and heart for children when I was younger, and posed the question, "Could adoption fit into this picture anywhere?" How crazy is that? So through prayer and conversation, eric and I decided that we would adopt...SOMEDAY...after all infertility treatments and everything, of course. I was introduced to Steven Curtis Chapman's story of his adopted children on his website, Shaohannah's Hope. As I read, my heart just ached for the millions of children with no home and no family. I knew this was God working in me and giving me a heart for adoption. I expressed my desire to adopt now, instead of pursuing IVF. So much more to this story, but basically, this is how we got to the place we are now. There is no real reason to believe that we cannot conceive, or will not ever conceive. However, I have never been so sure of anything I am doing in my entire life.
We have met with other couples that we know who have adopted to hear their stories and have been so incredibly encouraged by them. I am learning from various scriptures and sermons, how much God cares for orphans! I am His adopted child through Christ's sacrifice, of no works of my own. I believe that God calls us to protect the fatherless, and holds them at a high priority! Just learning about adoption is teaching me about the heart of God.
My prayer for the entire process right now is a quote that I heard Jeff Patton quote,(not sure who he was quoting). "May we remember in the dark, what we could see so clearly in the light." I pray that we will not be discouraged, as I hear that the adoption process can be very trying. I pray for the birth mom and for our future child, for her mental and emotional clarity and health, and for the child's protection.
I plan to keep this blog posted about the steps of the process, in hopes that family and friends will have an easy way to keep up with us, amidst a very busy life. But also, that someone might be encouraged by my transparency in this journey.
Learning that we are infertile has been the most difficult and trying thing I'e ever been through. With all the ups and downs, the emotional rollercoaster of the monthly let downs. I wish I had journaled more through that time. I know I felt sadness about our inability to conceive; anger, jealousy, envy and anxiety all but took over my body! It has been difficult to see pregnant people at work in the ER, who don't want their babies, who are devastated to find out of their pregnancy, who are planning to abort or who have recently intentionally aborted. Eric and I both are very different when it comes to dealing with it, and we have frequently felt alone and isolated, even from each other.
Some verses of a song I proclaimed all the time to God: My heart is heavy and my days are long. I lift my eyes up in the night. My heart it weighs me down, but your burden is light. So Lord, come walk with me til my heart can see all the bounties that your grace can bring.... Holy Spirit, rest upon me. Breath of God, touch my soul. Come unfailing love of Jesus. Rest upon us....
So, anyways...the though of adoption enters the picture! I began to think of adoption, for no apparent reason that I recall. I know that I my first thought was that I could never be an adoptive parent, Eric could, but not me. Then I remember my heart beginning to soften to the idea that maybe adoption could be part of God's plan for us, through our infertility. I was surprised at the response my family gave. Some of them had already thought of us adopting. An old friend wrote an email of encouragement to me, and reminded me of my mission-mindedness and heart for children when I was younger, and posed the question, "Could adoption fit into this picture anywhere?" How crazy is that? So through prayer and conversation, eric and I decided that we would adopt...SOMEDAY...after all infertility treatments and everything, of course. I was introduced to Steven Curtis Chapman's story of his adopted children on his website, Shaohannah's Hope. As I read, my heart just ached for the millions of children with no home and no family. I knew this was God working in me and giving me a heart for adoption. I expressed my desire to adopt now, instead of pursuing IVF. So much more to this story, but basically, this is how we got to the place we are now. There is no real reason to believe that we cannot conceive, or will not ever conceive. However, I have never been so sure of anything I am doing in my entire life.
We have met with other couples that we know who have adopted to hear their stories and have been so incredibly encouraged by them. I am learning from various scriptures and sermons, how much God cares for orphans! I am His adopted child through Christ's sacrifice, of no works of my own. I believe that God calls us to protect the fatherless, and holds them at a high priority! Just learning about adoption is teaching me about the heart of God.
My prayer for the entire process right now is a quote that I heard Jeff Patton quote,(not sure who he was quoting). "May we remember in the dark, what we could see so clearly in the light." I pray that we will not be discouraged, as I hear that the adoption process can be very trying. I pray for the birth mom and for our future child, for her mental and emotional clarity and health, and for the child's protection.
I plan to keep this blog posted about the steps of the process, in hopes that family and friends will have an easy way to keep up with us, amidst a very busy life. But also, that someone might be encouraged by my transparency in this journey.
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