God moments in our adoption

I do not let my kids talk about coincidences.  I have removed the word from my vocabulary.  Yeah, we have small slips occasionally, but I try to immediately correct it.  I don't believe in coincidence.  This world is too big.  How could there "just happen" to be so many connections and overlaps?  Even if it's a small as someone leaving a parking space just when I need one, I try to whisper a quick, "Thank you, Jesus," instead of "What a coincidence."  I prefer to believe that these are God moments.

Within the midst of this adoption decision, there have been so many God moments.

One of the first God moments was definitely the timing of the email about Victor.  As you know, Eden had been praying that we'd have a baby by April 20 at 5PM.  Well, remember, Victor had been born a week earlier.  In a typical scenario, there would have been a "stork drop" email, detailing this baby's birth and need for a family.  That should have come through on April 13, his birth date, not a week later.  But it didn't.  First there was a family selected but due to the risk involved, a day or so later, they changed their minds.  Then there was the fact that the case worker did not send the request to out-of-state families because she was afraid no one would accept.  She had sent it to our consultant but as she admitted to me later, she also didn't expect there to be a family willing to pay the high fees, leave home for an indefinite period of time, and to accept the risk of his medical status.  Definitely God moments.

See if you can follow me on this one.  We have a friend named Katrina from Wisconsin.  We met Katrina when she was acting with some of the kids at Allenberry Playhouse in Pennsylvania.  Katrina left PA for Alaska where she was acting for a cruise line.  From there she decided to try something new, skiing in (you guessed it) - Utah.  Not only Utah, less than an hour from Victor's hospital!   Katrina not only picked us up from the airport this week but so graciously loaned us her car for the few days we've been here.  She has also offered to allow me the use of her car as needed when I return.  Knowing how social she is, this could not have been easy.  And in the midst of this week, she needed to change apartments, without her car.  She is also going to be my family away from home and will pray over Victor at the hospital while we can't be there.  As soon as he can be held more than twice a week, Aunt Katrina will get to hold him, too.  Those are God moments.

We had applied for an adoption grant way back in December but never heard anything from them.  I honestly had thought it was over, nothing was going to come from it.  But then, the week before April 20, we received an email stating that we had reached the next round and to be ready for a phone interview on the evening of April 22.  At that point, I KNEW something was going to happen on April 20.  And to top it off, we both happened to be free at the time they scheduled to call us.  If not, it would have been over; there was no rescheduling.  We had such a beautiful time on the phone with them, telling them about this teeny, tiny boy that we could not get out of our minds.  They prayed for us and said they'd be contacting us in a few weeks with a decision.  We said yes to Victor on April 25 and on April 27 received this message:

We wanted to let you know how blessed we were by your testimonies and trust in Him.  We were struck by your desires to follow His plan and to see His kingdom go forth.  We are confident He has such a good plan for your family, as He cares so much for His children and loves the obedience of our hearts.  

We were such by your genuine faith, your desires for your children to know the Father as their personal Lord and Savior, your commitment to following His plan, and your persistence to examine ways to live for Him.  We were struck by your trust in prayer to Him and the spiritual gifts within your children, for your persistence in seeking His voice, and preparing your children for a new sibling. You are a family that is showing such trust and dependance on Him, honoring Him with your choices, He is so pleased with you.

It is with joy, I share, that we have approved your family for a grant, which we will send to your agency, We are honored to be part of your journey as well and hope it provides even more affirmation that He heart is for adoption and His heart is for you! We will continue praying for your family, please keep us updated.

That, my friends, is a God moment.

Be sure to look for all of the God moments in your day today!

Prayer needs:

Yesterday was a nice, quiet, restful day for Victor.  The only real issue was a ot of mucus that would bring his oxygen down until cleared out.  Pray that clears up.  He is tolerating feeds well and is getting that every 3 hours instead of 6 now.  Of course each feed is less than what we would call a drop of spilled milk but it's small baby steps.  Oh, and I got to change his diaper!  I don't think I've ever been so happy to change a diaper.  Then again, changing a diaper has never been so difficult.  Imagine a micro diaper on a micro butt, not being able to lift his legs high (so blood doesn't go to his head too quickly), with gloves (I always hated that with the foster children), and with your arms through holes.  But we did it!

Our adopttogether account is finally up and running.  We know this is a touchy subject yet in our fear we also know that God has called us to do this and has promised that He will provide.  Pray for no fear in this area of our adoption and that God would provide.  Please also share this account with everyone you know.  If you are feeling uncomfortable with people asking for money to adopt, please read this  or this or this or this or this.

We have to leave today.  I am so torn.  I want to stay here with Victor, wanting his mother to be near, imagining all kinds of what-ifs.  But I also want to support my husband who is realizing his dream (and final degree, right?) of graduating with his Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision.  He was also selected from among all the graduates to speak at graduation.  It's kind of a big deal.