We haven’t talked about this in a long time.
Thought I’d bring it back up.
Brian and I have always wanted to adopt.
At first, we were told we couldn’t have children.
Then we lost some.
After 3 years, we started the adoption process.
We were going to Kenya.
Then God did something CRAZY in this barren body.
We got pregnant.
We put adoption on hold.
We bore a child.
We bore a second child.
We still miss the ones we lost.
It’s time.
It’s been time for a long time.
It’s time to love more.
It’s time to give more.
It’s time to listen more.
It’s time to expand.
We love Chance and Paxton.
They are perfect for us.
But we know our family isn’t complete yet.
My heart is missing my child.
My sons are missing a sibling.
So, we’re praying.
We’re praying for God’s timing.
We’re praying for a miracle.
But we know God’s in the business of miracles.
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Dear Future Clayville Baby,
I can’t wait to meet you. We have been praying for you from the very beginning… before you were even conceived. There are no accidents… only opportunities. You belong safely nuzzled in our arms.
I wonder if you even exist yet. I mean, I know you exist, but I wonder if you’ve been created yet. I wonder if God is knitting you together in your mama’s womb right now. I wonder if you know THIS mommy already loves you. Chance wants a little sister, but Paxton just wants anything to steamroll over. Whichever way, your place here is reserved.
When will God put you in my arms? And when He does, I wonder if you’ll understand HOW very loved you are. Not only by Mommy and Daddy, Chance and Paxton… but by the mama that loved you enough to put you in our arms.
You’re such a lucky baby.
Though my heart already knows you, I can’t wait to finally see your face.
Love you forever,
Mommy
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Have you considered adoption?
Or are you adopted?
What’s your story?
I’m praying with you, and already love the next Clayville… What a lucky little soul to be surrounded by all of you.
Oh, and Sara is a lovely girl name. Just sayin.
oh how i love you! this little one would bless US!
SO praying for you.
In answer to your questions.. yes. Adam was adopted, and we’d like to return the favour, so to speak. People think we’re nuts, with 6 biological kids already, but you know what? God put this here in our hearts.
We’d like to adopt a girl or few from places where the sex slave trade is highest. Even if we can save just one, we’d be happy
that’s amazing! how great to get a baby girl off the streets!!!
That’s what we think
Adoption is SO hard over here. Private adoptions are illegal (we looked into adopting a friends baby when she felt she couldn’t look after it… no go) even between family members, and the countries you can adopt from is very restrictive. I wanted to go to Romania, one of the highest red light district countries… only to be told I’m not alowed to rescue a girl from her likely fate
I’m all smiles over here. Praying with you and for you.
wow.
This is beautiful.
What a lucky little one.
thank you. keep praying for our little baby to come home.
I am adopted & was not treated like I was. Until the blood baby came along when I was 12. Then everything changed. Forever, until my mother’s death 4 months ago. My dad has made it perfectly clear that he will not make that distinction. My oldest brother (also adopted) & I have/had a lot of resentments against our mother & that “blood” brother. It’s time to be grownups & work this out. I hope we can. But, there is a lot of hurt & a lot of pain. Becoming an addict was my late-in-life shot at numbing it all. Guess what? When I got clean, the same crap was still going on!! Imagine that. God has given me so much in my life. He gave me life. He never left me. He always loved me. Unconditionally. So much to be grateful for, yet a heavy heart for that one relationship that also eludes you. I love seeing how happy those 2 boys are!! They have no understanding what mom & dad have been through these past few years! But, they, too, survived. And you are all stronger for it! Love you & your heart!
I know!!!!!!!!!! You can adopt David & Diane!! Problem solved!!! #nomorelegalmumbojumbo
: D
i’m so sorry about your negative experience with your mom. i wish it could have been different for you.
We struggled with an infertility situation that we knew was temporary. So we adopted our baby #1.
We went international because we personally considered the domestic stipulations excessively restrictive. However, I certainly respect that not everyone feels the same way (it’s a remarkably personal decision, as is having a baby any other way, of course), and I’m sure things have changed in the nearly six years since we returned from Kazakhstan.
Our saga is chronicled at http://jeffholton.com/alex/
we’d LOVE to adopt internationally… however, we don’t have the funds to do that at this moment. we’re praying for a miracle.
LOVE your story! thanks for sharing.
Amazing!! Simply amazing!! I’m praying for you guys! I’ve got connections in Uganda if you’re interested!! Love you Mama!! xoxo
thanks, lovey! we’d love to adopt from Uganda. all babies need a home.
They’ve changed the rules with Ugandan adoptions. You have to have been living there for 6 months before you can adopt. It sucks, but thems the rulz. Otherwise I’d have adopted a bunch already
We have always wanted to adopt. We were adopting domestically and it fell through two weeks before the baby was born. We grieved and mourned as though it was a child of our flesh. We are now adopting three sisters from Nicaragua!! We are so excited to know them, love them and have them be a part of our family. I’ve even been blessed with the chance to go down and spend two months with them!! I leave next week, I can’t wait.
Adoption can be so beautiful, but it’s important to remember that the basis of adoption is trauma. We’re trying to be mindful of that as we expand our family.
Blessings to you as you move forward with this. We’ve got an awesome social worker here in Portland, and we’re starting up an adoption small group at our church, we’d love for you to join us sometime!
NICARAGUA!!! That’s awesome! Congrats, Jen!
We’d love to chat with you more about what you guys are doing.
Oh gosh, anytime! We LOVE sharing our heart for adoption and talking about our journey-where we are and where we believe God is leading us.
Also, I’m not sure if you’re aware but there are a TON of adoption grants and loans out there. A lot of places will even let people send in money on your behalf and they will match what is given. The donations are also tax deductable. Another awesome thing that just passed (it was written into the healthcare bill) is the extension of the adoption tax credit. It’s even better than before! Now you get up to 13k per child back the year you finalize your adoptions. Just something to keep in mind…I know the financial side is overwhelming.
Hope to talk to you soon!
I remembered this about your story … glad to hear it’s still on your heart and mind. I can link you up with the adoption bloggy world. There are amazing stories of ways that people have raised funds for their adoptions … I can testify that when the time is right … God will provide in completely unexpected ways. We leave in 5 days to bring home our son from Ethiopia … it is by far the “craziest” thing I’ve ever done … but I know God is in it completely. Will pray for you all ….
AMY!!! I am SO excited for you! WOW!!! YAY!!!
*smile*
mmm, beautiful. praying with you for your little one!
thank you so much! really… that means a lot!
The more I thought about my comment, I realize I kinda threw up on your party. I am truly sorry. Told you that I still blurt out things inappropriately sometimes!
I think adoption is awesome. I wouldn’t be here today, right where I am without adoption. I may not have even been. That is huge. Like Tam said in her post, choice is everything & forever. I am grateful that I was adopted. And God will bless you guys when it’s time. You are an awesome family & have so much to offer to a child.
no worries, shellie. i knew what you meant. there’s are good experiences with adoption as much as there are bad experiences with them… much like in blood relations.
i know MANY adopted friends who have amazing relationships with their adopted parents, when i barely have anything with my own blood parents.
there’s a story to every life… that’s why we tell it.
I am sooooo excited for you guys – I had no idea
I mean it doesn’t suprise me – you are both amazing parents… wow wow wow!!!
I am so excited! I will be praying…
My face hurts from smiling right now 
thanks, jen! we covet your prayers… and any babies you can find us
this is beautiful. and it’s awakening some of my dead dreams.
me and my son have been praying for his future siblings together for about 9 years now. it’s so much harder to adopt as a single mother. but my heart longs to hug my future children one day.
thank you for writing this post. it’s inspired my heart to continue to believe =]
it’s totally possible adopting as a single mom. the first time we went through the adoption process, a single mom was going to China for her little girl.
pray pray pray that God would reveal how much of it is His dream for you.
hugs, my friend.
I’m praying for you & agreeing with your prayer without even reading it cause if I do oh man the tears.
tears are good, prudy! i’ve shed enough to know.
Hmmm…the little miss would like more friends…glad she could bring the love of adoption back to the table. Praying that our story and your story will cause there to be one (or 100) less orphans in this world.
ABSOLUTELY!!! love you, laura!
this makes me smile big for you. this is huge, friend. praying with you…
i know you are. this is what makes our journey no longer a dream, but a goal. thank you for being my prayer warrior and friend.
YEAHHHHHH! I love adopting babies! You might want to consider some Asian babies too!
we are. the only sucky thing is how long the wait is for an asian baby. we’re researching though.
Dang. I’m right there with you – you know.
Adoption has changed us more as a family than any other journey we have been on. You will never be the same. Read Russell Moore’s book “Adopted for Life” and get ready : )