Adoption Announcement

Nate~ As you can see from this page, we are setting out to adopt from Ethiopia. We want to give you a quick background summary of our thoughts on adoption that have led us to this point.

First, foreign or domestic adoption. We chose foreign adoption because we have heard the stories about local, US, adoptions being taken to court. After years of having your child, the birth parents try to go back and reclaim their children. Not getting into those politics at all, the thought of having a child that we love taken, or even attempted to have them taken, from us does not appeal, so we chose the route where that is not as likely.

Second, where? I have a love for things Asian, so I was interested in that. Pam has two cousins that she loves who were adopted from Korea and so she was also drawn to that area of the world. However, the Asian adoption scene is not very promising right now. China has a waiting period approaching five years. Other countries (Korea included) are frozen. This basically means that they have more applicants than they foresee have babies/children to match them up with in the near future so they are not taking any new applicants.

Third, if not Asia, then where. Let it be said that we did not make this choice based solely on finances. However, when you are given an estimate of $50 - $60 thousand for one country and a third of that for another, you tend to look a little closer at the one that is a third of the cost.
So, we first looked at Rwanda. It is a new country (for foreign adoptions) and the waiting time was the smallest that we had seen. However, after applying to AWAA we received an e-mail stating that the Rwandan government is starting to set up their policies for foreign adoptions so the wait period is extending to a point that they couldn't even give an estimate anymore. With that in mind, they asked that we pray about their Ethiopian field. The country has their policies established, the wait time and finances were comparable, and AWAA had been working with Ethiopia for several years (not sure exactly how long). We did pray about and we decided that our main goal at this point was to keep the wait time down, if possible, so we have chosen to adopt through Ethiopia.

Why, "Our Story of Faith and Grace"? In truth, this is our life story. Our lives are based on our faith in God and the grace He shows us in our lives. However, it is also very fitting for our adoption. The costs, the paperwork, the details, there are just so many obstacles that we can't even fathom completing all of them and having our baby/babies. However, God is good. Who God is doesn't change based on our circumstances and if His plan is for us to adopt, then we will have faith that He will see us through.


Pam~ Wow!! Adoption. Really? Can I do this? How will we afford it? How will I survive waiting for 11-24 months to hold my child(ren)?

I can't even begin to explain how emotional I have been feeling as Nathan and I have been talking about and now planning for our adoption. Ever since I was a little girl I have wanted to be a mommy. Whenever anyone asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, I would answer, "I want to be a mommy and have lots of kids!!" After six years of marriage, God has seemingly directed us to fill our home via adoption. God has a perfect plan for our lives, and as He directs us, we seek to follow His plan. He often leads us in one direction and then may change our path as we walk step by step in His will. Maybe He will one day bless us with children from my womb, but until then we will allow Him to bless us with children whose first parents are unable to care for them. Our home may be a mix of colors and nationalities, but we will have a home built on love and on faith in Jesus Christ.

Here are some details of the beginning of our adoption journey {if you are still reading by this point!!!}. As Nathan wrote above, we are adopting from Ethiopia. We have not specified a gender and have stated that we are willing to adopt two siblings within our age request if siblings are available, and we have requested a child(ren) aged 3 years or younger. At this point in time, our agency, America World Adoption Association, states that the wait time is between 11-24 months. We are obviously hoping for a wait time closest to the 11 month estimate, but I am not allowing myself to hope or think too much about that. God has a child for us, and we will bring that child home EXACTLY when God wants us to.

We want and need lots of support and encouragement from our family and friends as we start on this LONG road of adoption. Please leave comments and feedback for us to read!!!!!!!