Today I am so happy to have my real life friend Sara sharing with you about she and her husband grew their family through a very unique circumstance! I hope you’ve enjoyed all the adoption testimonies this week. You can read the others here.
Children have always been a strong desire on my heart. So, after my husband Doug and I had our daughter Grace, we were given another treasure: Luke. We felt so blessed! God had given us two gifts beyond what we deserved. We were so grateful! We knew our family was complete. I always told people that God gave me two hands and two children to hold onto.
However, when Luke was about to start Kindergarten, God started working in our hearts. We knew that we had more love to offer children. That is when we decided to try foster parenting. We were nervous about the changes that were ahead of us, but we knew that God was in control. We had agreed that one or possibly two siblings would work well for us. Our license worker asked if we would ever consider taking a sibling group of three. I quickly answered, “NO!” Doug said, “I guess we could work it out.” I remember one night in our devotions my husband prayed, “Lord, give us the right children that we can help.”
God listens! God knows! God cares! We became foster parents within 24 hours of getting licensed. Our first foster child was with us for 2 weeks. The day she left I picked up a 14 month old (Adrian) and a 2 month old (Arianna). Within a month, their 26 month old brother (Joseph) joined us. Our family had been out of the diaper stage for a while, but now we had 3 in diapers again. Life changed!
Earlier that year we decided to buy a more fuel efficient vehicle and bought a car instead of a van. So when the 3 foster children came, we drove 2 vehicles where-ever we went. After a few months, we switched to a van as we realized we didn’t understand the size of God’s blessings!
The thought of adoption was always a possibility, but we always said that God wants them with their birth family first. I remember the day their birth mom decided she needed to give up her parental rights. She cried and my heart broke for her. I thanked her for selflessly giving a great gift for her children. When we became aware that adoption was a possibility, we started praying more. The kids’ birth mom and grandma met with us and asked us if we would adopt the children. They gave us three wonderful gifts!
We finalized our adoption in July of 2011. After leaving the court house Doug said, “I feel like we owe their parents to raise them well.” I will admit that at first, I didn’t think that made sense. “I didn’t owe them! They messed up!” Yet, that is what unconditional love is. Joseph recently said to me, “Mom, I didn’t get to be in your tummy, did I?” I answered, “No, Joseph you were in your other Mommy’s tummy, but I get to have you in my heart forever!” He just smiled! I AM BLESSED!
Our children do visit with their birth families on occasion. I believe that God has blessed them with many people to love them. I know that there will be challenges and more questions in the future, but I know that God will give us the wisdom we need.
Ephesians 3:20 states, “Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.” NLT
Our lives are in God’s hands. I am so thankful for that! I know that from the beginning, God had it planned that Joseph, Adrian and Arianna would be our children. They were wonderfully formed by our Heavenly Father for a purpose. We are privileged to be able to watch as His purpose unfolds! He has blessed me much more than I could have ever imagined!
Shared at Your Thriving Family and Time Warp Wife
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5 Comments on From No to Yes: God’s Unexpected Plan for Our Family
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Beautiful Story, Beautiful Family, Beautiful Mother. :-)
Love how God works! I am sharing my adoption journey as well in honor of National Adoption Month – we thought we were done too! Loved how you had bought a smaller car – I can relate!
There are so few positive stories of foster parent/adoption. Thank you for this great testimony to God’s working through the “system”. So thankful all worked out for everyone.
Keep up the God work.
Thank you for your testimony! What a beautiful story of God’s Blessing and Grace!
Thank you! We are honored with the life God gave us! Now I pray that we will honor Him!