New Vines Baby Coming Soon....via ADOPTION

YES, we are adopting and we cannot be more EXCITED.  It has been a long road to get to this point but we thank God for this road we have traveled.  We always felt adoption was somewhere in our future but just didn't quite know where it fit in.  So after many, many and many more discussions we had to agree to disagree and turned it over to God.  At first, Mark didn't know if it was the right time (understandable when he is the one taking care of all of us. that's a big burden to carry).  And now looking back this time last year, he was right it was not the right time.  I am so thankful for a husband who has a talent for waiting on the Lord (i struggle with this one)!  Then when he was ready I began to have my doubts.  It was a vicious cycle for about a year.  Then something miraculous happened....one night Mark came home and said "it's time" and I felt it in my heart too.  AMAZING how the Lord works!  This was in late October.  And our adoption journey began!!!! 

There have already been bumps along the way.  We thought International was what God was calling us to do and was quickly shown that was not the route He had for us.  There are so many babies in this country who need a forever family and by God showing us what is basically in our back yard we felt He was calling us to adopt domestically (which in the back of our minds we had known but was trying to do it our way first - Love when God shows us He is ultimately in control).  So our Home Study began just as quickly as our adoption had started because once you take this step in faith something kinda takes over and you both want to rapidly work though the paperwork to get to the child God has picked for you before time began.  And of course, there have been paperwork set backs.  We couldn't get our fingerprinting done when we wanted due to Thanksgiving so we had to wait another week.  One of our papers requires a SS card which Mark didn't have so he had to request a new one which adds another 2 weeks of waiting.  And the biggy, we are trying to send papers off and get papers back all during the busiest time of the year...Christmas!!!  But when all is said and done, there is still a beautiful peace about it all knowing that we are doing what God has called us to do and that none of these set backs are setting back HIS plan.

So where are we right now in the process.....

Waiting on paperwork...clearances from every agency imaginable and then some!  Once we get all our paperwork back, our social worker will meet with us then everything will be finalized for our home study.  Then we can start talking with agencies!!!!  A process we long for in our hearts right now!

So all we ask is for your prayers...
~for the birth mother who will make the difficult decision for us to raise her child
~if the birth mother does not know Christ for her to see Him in us and come to know Him
~for our baby who could be in a mommy's tummy right now
~guidance to the right agency (we have it narrowed down to 2)
~wisdom that our eyes will be opened to what God would have us to see

                                  ....and support doing this time in our lives.


LORD, You are my portion and my cup of blessing; You hold my future."  Psalm 16:5