July 2014

Since 2010, every July something eventful happens in our lives. July 2010 brought about job change, a move, and a discovery we were expecting Nathan. July 2011 was the least eventful year as we were "just" adjusting to life as first-time parents. Then, after praying for months about adoption, we felt the Lord clearly calling us to pursue domestic adoption on July 14, 2012. On July 15, 2013, Isaiah James Cromer was born and adopted by our great friends Nathan and Kimberly. Isaiah is such a joy to his family and friends!

Now it is July 2014. Every July I get excited and anxious for what's going to happen this year :-). With our home study complete, we have been sending applications to adoption agencies and attorneys with the assistance of our adoption consultant. This week we started to get our first calls about presenting to situations. For those not familiar with domestic (U.S.) adoption, "presenting" is kind of like the interview stage of applying for a job. Any time we are presented, that means our family's profile is shared and discussed with an expectant mother looking for a family for her child. The next part of the journey is called a "match," which means an expectant mother will choose us to parent her baby. These first days in the presenting stage have been exciting to us as we not only wait for a child who needs us to be his/her family but also hear of other families being formed through the blessing of adoption! We praise God each time we hear of a successful match being made as we know one more little one is being given life and hope!

This July is also bringing another HUGE exciting event in our adoption journey--our little house is going to CLOSE this coming Tuesday, July 22!!! We are so thrilled about this as once our house sale is complete, our adoption fund will also be FULL! After Tuesday, we should be financially ready to say "yes" to nearly any situation. We are so excited and praising the Lord for His awesome orchestration of this sale--the house was just 5 days on the market before we received an offer that we accepted.

As you think of us, please pray for our family being presented in the coming weeks and months. We will not be posting each time we will be presented, but just know we will likely be presented often until we are matched. We have been blessed to have an adoption consultant helping us navigate the waters as well as such a great network of adoptive families here in our local area who have been great encouragement! Thanks to all of you who have been praying with us on this journey. We're 2 years and 3 days in, and we're so excited for what the Lord is preparing us for!