Sunday, December 19, 2010
Monday, November 1, 2010
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Happy One Week Young Birthday, Josiah!
We cannot believe that our precious Josiah is one week old today! Time flies....
We continue to be overwhelmed with God's goodness and blessings in our life! I know that I have not written the details of Josiah's birth yet...I promise, I will! At this point, I figure it is more important for me to attend to the needs of my boys and trust that God will provide the time to tell you all the amazing details soon! Wanted to at least update you with pictures!!
Thank you again for all your prayers, love, encouragement, and support.
The Lord God Almighty has heard and answered in MIGHTY ways!
Saturday, September 18, 2010
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Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Almost Time...
*whew*
What an exciting time in the Cain house! We have been on pins and needles, waiting to hear from Briana about laboring beginning or news from her doctor regarding an induction. At 11:00am, Briana called and said that her doctor has scheduled her to be induced into labor tomorrow morning (Wednesday, September 15) at 4:00am. EARLY CALL TIME! Not that we would be able to sleep anyway...!!!
Lord-willing, we will be able to meet this new little person sometime tomorrow! AHHHH! What a mighty God we serve. His plans are perfect as is His timing!
We cannot wait to share more...but for now, we wait just a little while longer.
=)
Thank you for your prayers. Keep 'em comin'!!!!
What an exciting time in the Cain house! We have been on pins and needles, waiting to hear from Briana about laboring beginning or news from her doctor regarding an induction. At 11:00am, Briana called and said that her doctor has scheduled her to be induced into labor tomorrow morning (Wednesday, September 15) at 4:00am. EARLY CALL TIME! Not that we would be able to sleep anyway...!!!
Lord-willing, we will be able to meet this new little person sometime tomorrow! AHHHH! What a mighty God we serve. His plans are perfect as is His timing!
We cannot wait to share more...but for now, we wait just a little while longer.
=)
Thank you for your prayers. Keep 'em comin'!!!!
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Lord-Willing...
I feel like we're in that phase where we say "Lord-willing" at the end of every sentence.
"I'll see you tomorrow, Lord-willing."
"Lord-willing, the baby will be born within the next week."
"If the Lord wills it, we will bring our new family member home soon!"
This part of our adoption journey is probably the most surreal...to be truly so close and yet potentially so far away. The promise of Psalm 33 is in the forefront of our mind right now:
Tomorrow, September 8, is the baby's due date!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Briana (the birthmom) had another check up with her doctor today. Both she and the baby are doing well...no big "labor indicators" as of yet! We've got all our hospital plans in order, though, so we'll be ready to leave for San Jose at a moment's notice.
And yes, I may be a bit obsessive about checking my phone right now.
I don't want to miss the call!!!
Ok...I'm having a hard time balancing out the "check the phone every 5 minutes in case I missed something." But give me a break: we've been waiting and working and praying for this child for 2 years! =)
So what's next?
*Briana goes into labor and calls us.
*We head to the hospital ASAP. Since San Jose is 3 hours-ish away, we may or may not make it to the hospital for the delivery (depending on when she chooses to call/text us and how fast Ben drives there...). Either way, it will only be Briana and her mom (Thea) in the actual delivery room.
*Bethany Christian Services has notified the hospital that we (the adoptive parents) will be there and some of the "special" needs we may have...such as: the hospital social worker's presence at discharge, extra security bracelets so that we can have access to the baby in the nursery, etc.
*When Briana is discharged from the hospital, the first round of paperwork will be signed. These are essentially papers that enter the baby into foster care through Bethany, designate us as the foster parents of choice, and allow us to leave the hospital with the baby (AHHHHHHHHHHHH!).
*Bethany Christian Services Pregnancy Counselor typically meets with the birthmom within a week after discharge to sign the actual relinquishment papers. She will also need to meet with the birthfather (who isn't overly involved in our case) to have him sign relinquishments. As you can imagine, the time between leaving the hospital as foster parents and receiving confirmation from the state about relinquishments is a high-risk period for us. (This is part of the reason why we've decided to wait until October to host a baby shower/open house).
*Once we receive the confirmation that relinquishments have been processed by the state and birth-parental rights have been terminated, we actually get to submit all OUR paperwork to the state to adopt this little one!! Finalization takes place about a year later and will be confirmed at our local court in Placerville!!
How can you pray and encourage everyone involved?
*Peace. For Briana and her family. For us and our family.
*Safety. For the baby and Briana. For us as we (furiously) drive to San Jose and back. For our precious Ethan as he stays with Mimi and Papa while we are at the hospital!
*Grace. With the hospital being a potentially high-stress time, we are desperately praying for the Lord to grant us supernatural amounts of grace to bestow upon Briana and her family...especially as we "wait our turn" with the new baby.
*Health. All the way around!
We have seen God's perfect timing in every area of our life: our marriage, the birth of Ethan, moving into our home, meeting Briana, etc. His will is perfect and we are honored to be used by Him to glorify His matchless name! AMEN!
"I'll see you tomorrow, Lord-willing."
"Lord-willing, the baby will be born within the next week."
"If the Lord wills it, we will bring our new family member home soon!"
This part of our adoption journey is probably the most surreal...to be truly so close and yet potentially so far away. The promise of Psalm 33 is in the forefront of our mind right now:
"Behold, the eye of the Lord in on those who fear Him,
on those who hope for His lovingkindness...
Our soul waits for the Lord;
He is our help and our shield.
For our heart rejoices in Him,
because we trust in His holy name.
Let Your lovingkindness, O Lord, be upon us,
according as we have hoped in You."
Tomorrow, September 8, is the baby's due date!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Briana (the birthmom) had another check up with her doctor today. Both she and the baby are doing well...no big "labor indicators" as of yet! We've got all our hospital plans in order, though, so we'll be ready to leave for San Jose at a moment's notice.
And yes, I may be a bit obsessive about checking my phone right now.
I don't want to miss the call!!!
Ok...I'm having a hard time balancing out the "check the phone every 5 minutes in case I missed something." But give me a break: we've been waiting and working and praying for this child for 2 years! =)
So what's next?
*Briana goes into labor and calls us.
*We head to the hospital ASAP. Since San Jose is 3 hours-ish away, we may or may not make it to the hospital for the delivery (depending on when she chooses to call/text us and how fast Ben drives there...). Either way, it will only be Briana and her mom (Thea) in the actual delivery room.
*Bethany Christian Services has notified the hospital that we (the adoptive parents) will be there and some of the "special" needs we may have...such as: the hospital social worker's presence at discharge, extra security bracelets so that we can have access to the baby in the nursery, etc.
*When Briana is discharged from the hospital, the first round of paperwork will be signed. These are essentially papers that enter the baby into foster care through Bethany, designate us as the foster parents of choice, and allow us to leave the hospital with the baby (AHHHHHHHHHHHH!).
*Bethany Christian Services Pregnancy Counselor typically meets with the birthmom within a week after discharge to sign the actual relinquishment papers. She will also need to meet with the birthfather (who isn't overly involved in our case) to have him sign relinquishments. As you can imagine, the time between leaving the hospital as foster parents and receiving confirmation from the state about relinquishments is a high-risk period for us. (This is part of the reason why we've decided to wait until October to host a baby shower/open house).
*Once we receive the confirmation that relinquishments have been processed by the state and birth-parental rights have been terminated, we actually get to submit all OUR paperwork to the state to adopt this little one!! Finalization takes place about a year later and will be confirmed at our local court in Placerville!!
How can you pray and encourage everyone involved?
*Peace. For Briana and her family. For us and our family.
*Safety. For the baby and Briana. For us as we (furiously) drive to San Jose and back. For our precious Ethan as he stays with Mimi and Papa while we are at the hospital!
*Grace. With the hospital being a potentially high-stress time, we are desperately praying for the Lord to grant us supernatural amounts of grace to bestow upon Briana and her family...especially as we "wait our turn" with the new baby.
*Health. All the way around!
We have seen God's perfect timing in every area of our life: our marriage, the birth of Ethan, moving into our home, meeting Briana, etc. His will is perfect and we are honored to be used by Him to glorify His matchless name! AMEN!
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Details! Details!
We are still so excited.
Really excited.
Just in case you were wondering.
We are.
Still.
Excited.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What an amazing time for our family! We just walked in the door after spending the afternoon in San Jose with Briana. Today's meeting was a bit more "formal" because we actually had some "business" to discuss, but it was also really relaxed and enjoyable.
Some of the highlights of our time together:
*We were able to meet Briana's two youngest siblings. So cute. Really friendly and excited to meet us.
*Thea, Briana's mom, was at the meeting again. We enjoy getting to know her better. She is so open and warm with us. Makes everything nicer!
*Talked through birth and hospital plans. Ben and I will most likely not be in the delivery room (just Briana and her mom at this point), but will be welcome at the hospital otherwise. Briana will call us when labor is regular/heading to the hospital so we can drive the 3 hours to San Jose and be there ASAP.
*Briana is going to breastfeed AND continue to pump and ship breastmilk as long as she can!!!!!! This is especially exciting to me (Ashley) as I was scrambling to learn about formula.... AND a really amazing way for Briana to continue to show her love for this child! Since I still have our top of the line breast pump from Ethan's birth (thanks, GJohn and Grammie!), we will be able to let Briana borrow it! Great provisions all around, right?!
*Talked generally about our open adoption plan. This will be interesting since Briana is planning on enlisting in the Navy in March 2011. We are very much on the same page, however...2 visits a year and monthly updates via email including pictures. Obviously, this agreement is not written in stone, but will be something with which we are flexible. The big thing is to keep open communication for the sake of this new child!!
*Had a really nice Italian dinner after the meeting with Briana and her family. Just enjoyed visiting and learning more about each other. A very blessed time enjoying each other's company!
Thank you for your prayers. We feel a very tangible wall of protection and peace around us. We are so very thankful for your encouragement and support....the Lord is faithful in answering our requests! A few specifics to pray for:
*Briana in her last few weeks of pregnancy. REST and good health. Her last Dr's appointment was on Monday...everything was normal and healthy! Praise the Lord!
*Patience as we wait and try to focus on the tasks the Lord has for us NOW.
*Open, honest, and loving communication between us, our families, Briana, and her family. There are a lot people involved/invested in this new little life!!!
*Emotional protection...especially at the hospital.
*Stress levels...*whew* Happy stress is still stress!
Isaiah 30:18
Therefore will the Lord wait, that He may be gracious to you, that He may be exalted, and that He may have mercy upon you; for the Lord is a God of judgment; blessed are they that wait for Him!
Really excited.
Just in case you were wondering.
We are.
Still.
Excited.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What an amazing time for our family! We just walked in the door after spending the afternoon in San Jose with Briana. Today's meeting was a bit more "formal" because we actually had some "business" to discuss, but it was also really relaxed and enjoyable.
Some of the highlights of our time together:
*We were able to meet Briana's two youngest siblings. So cute. Really friendly and excited to meet us.
*Thea, Briana's mom, was at the meeting again. We enjoy getting to know her better. She is so open and warm with us. Makes everything nicer!
*Talked through birth and hospital plans. Ben and I will most likely not be in the delivery room (just Briana and her mom at this point), but will be welcome at the hospital otherwise. Briana will call us when labor is regular/heading to the hospital so we can drive the 3 hours to San Jose and be there ASAP.
*Briana is going to breastfeed AND continue to pump and ship breastmilk as long as she can!!!!!! This is especially exciting to me (Ashley) as I was scrambling to learn about formula.... AND a really amazing way for Briana to continue to show her love for this child! Since I still have our top of the line breast pump from Ethan's birth (thanks, GJohn and Grammie!), we will be able to let Briana borrow it! Great provisions all around, right?!
*Talked generally about our open adoption plan. This will be interesting since Briana is planning on enlisting in the Navy in March 2011. We are very much on the same page, however...2 visits a year and monthly updates via email including pictures. Obviously, this agreement is not written in stone, but will be something with which we are flexible. The big thing is to keep open communication for the sake of this new child!!
*Had a really nice Italian dinner after the meeting with Briana and her family. Just enjoyed visiting and learning more about each other. A very blessed time enjoying each other's company!
Thank you for your prayers. We feel a very tangible wall of protection and peace around us. We are so very thankful for your encouragement and support....the Lord is faithful in answering our requests! A few specifics to pray for:
*Briana in her last few weeks of pregnancy. REST and good health. Her last Dr's appointment was on Monday...everything was normal and healthy! Praise the Lord!
*Patience as we wait and try to focus on the tasks the Lord has for us NOW.
*Open, honest, and loving communication between us, our families, Briana, and her family. There are a lot people involved/invested in this new little life!!!
*Emotional protection...especially at the hospital.
*Stress levels...*whew* Happy stress is still stress!
Isaiah 30:18
Therefore will the Lord wait, that He may be gracious to you, that He may be exalted, and that He may have mercy upon you; for the Lord is a God of judgment; blessed are they that wait for Him!
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Wiener Nationals on National Mustard Day
So in case you didn't know it, Sunday was National Mustard Day. And at Briana's church, National Mustard Day is celebrated by racing Dachshunds....Wiener Nationals! We were really excited to drive out and spend the day with her and her dad (rest of the family was out of town). After spending the night at my grandparents house (they live about an hour away from Briana), we drove in and met Briana at her church. What a joy to be able to worship our loving God together!!!! Our visit was delightful and peaceful...just a relaxed time to visit and get to know each other better.
We are so thankful for Briana and the joyful person God has made her. As Ethan said, she is "the protector of the baby." Please continue to pray for her safety and the safety of our unborn child. Please also pray for us as we continue to know Briana better and support her during this difficult time. This is a tricky time of balance...we need a lot of prayer!
We are so thankful for Briana and the joyful person God has made her. As Ethan said, she is "the protector of the baby." Please continue to pray for her safety and the safety of our unborn child. Please also pray for us as we continue to know Briana better and support her during this difficult time. This is a tricky time of balance...we need a lot of prayer!
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
WE'VE BEEN SELECTED!!!!
Thank you for all your prayers. The Lord has heard and answered!
On Tuesday, August 3 we received a phone call from our social worker at Bethany (Rhonda) that we were chosen by a birthmother as the adoptive family for her unborn child. There are a lot of really amazing and fun details in the story, but it is late and I am exhausted!! I'll post more of the goodness tomorrow Lord-willing. Here are the basics:
We initially met with this birthmom (Briana) on July 19. She was choosing between us and two other families.
Briana is delightful, Godly, and someone that we would simply want to be friends with even outside the adoption!
Due date is September 9 (my birthday and Ethan's due date!).
Sex is unknown...Briana has chosen not to find out the sex of the baby before birth.
Next step is to begin cultivating a relationship with Briana, iron out details about the hospital stay and delivery, and discuss the particulars of our open adoption agreement.
As you can imagine, we are bouncing off the walls and praising the Lord. It is very exciting to potentially be so close to meeting our new child.
Please join us in praying for Briana during the last few weeks of her pregnancy. Pray for peace, comfort, and safety. Pray for us as we spend time with Briana and get to know her as a sister in Christ and the woman carrying the child God may have chosen for us. Pray that God will continue to glorify Himself through this process.
Disclaimer: I feel like I should make something clear. At this point in the adoption process, this child is still Briana's. We have no claim on him/her. Briana has the right at any time to change her mind and parent this child herself. While we would be devastated, we would also be excited for her! Legally, a mother cannot relinquish her rights until after she is discharged from the hospital. Please be sensitive and join us in prayer!!
We continue to have peace and joy! Our adoption journey has been one based on love so far and we are endeavoring to not live in fear or make decisions based on fear. We serve a mighty God who "hems us in before and behind!" (Psalm 139)
On Tuesday, August 3 we received a phone call from our social worker at Bethany (Rhonda) that we were chosen by a birthmother as the adoptive family for her unborn child. There are a lot of really amazing and fun details in the story, but it is late and I am exhausted!! I'll post more of the goodness tomorrow Lord-willing. Here are the basics:
We initially met with this birthmom (Briana) on July 19. She was choosing between us and two other families.
Briana is delightful, Godly, and someone that we would simply want to be friends with even outside the adoption!
Due date is September 9 (my birthday and Ethan's due date!).
Sex is unknown...Briana has chosen not to find out the sex of the baby before birth.
Next step is to begin cultivating a relationship with Briana, iron out details about the hospital stay and delivery, and discuss the particulars of our open adoption agreement.
As you can imagine, we are bouncing off the walls and praising the Lord. It is very exciting to potentially be so close to meeting our new child.
Please join us in praying for Briana during the last few weeks of her pregnancy. Pray for peace, comfort, and safety. Pray for us as we spend time with Briana and get to know her as a sister in Christ and the woman carrying the child God may have chosen for us. Pray that God will continue to glorify Himself through this process.
Disclaimer: I feel like I should make something clear. At this point in the adoption process, this child is still Briana's. We have no claim on him/her. Briana has the right at any time to change her mind and parent this child herself. While we would be devastated, we would also be excited for her! Legally, a mother cannot relinquish her rights until after she is discharged from the hospital. Please be sensitive and join us in prayer!!
We continue to have peace and joy! Our adoption journey has been one based on love so far and we are endeavoring to not live in fear or make decisions based on fear. We serve a mighty God who "hems us in before and behind!" (Psalm 139)
 |
| Hiking at Eagle Falls in South Lake Tahoe |
Saturday, June 19, 2010
LifeLines
Waiting...waiting...waiting.
We have only had our adoptive family profile active for about one month and it already seems like forever...
But we are striving to daily renew our trust in God's perfect timing! There is such peace to know that we have been faithful to do our best in what we could, and now our adoption is out of our hands. Loss of control can be frightening and comforting at the same time!
We checked in with our social worker, Rhonda, on Wednesday...just keeping in touch and hearing the ways God is using Bethany to accomplish His good and perfect work! Since we will be out of town for almost the whole month of July, we made sure she knew to contact us via cell phone if something comes up. We've tried to make plans, but hold onto them loosely!
Just received Bethany's quarterly publication, LifeLines, in the mail this week. It is really encouraging to see how blessed this organization has been...how the Lord's love is being shown to the orphan! One of the things we love about Bethany is its priorities: "As we work to improve the lives of children, our first response is to ensure that each child is safe. Second, we strive to keep families together, which often involves working with extended families; and third, we offer foster care and adoption services, both in the US and abroad." We truly feel that this reflects God's own heart for children and their care...even though it means that we, as adoptive parents deeply desiring more children, are at the "bottom of the list!"
We thought you might be interested to know as well that in 2009, the US offices of Bethany helped facilitate 755 domestic infants, 541 older children, and 420 international children find their forever families through adoption. Praise the Lord!
Our hearts ache to hold our baby, but we praise our gracious God for keeping us busy while we "actively wait." Thank you for your prayers for us, the birthmother carrying our child, and for our unborn child!
We have only had our adoptive family profile active for about one month and it already seems like forever...
But we are striving to daily renew our trust in God's perfect timing! There is such peace to know that we have been faithful to do our best in what we could, and now our adoption is out of our hands. Loss of control can be frightening and comforting at the same time!
We checked in with our social worker, Rhonda, on Wednesday...just keeping in touch and hearing the ways God is using Bethany to accomplish His good and perfect work! Since we will be out of town for almost the whole month of July, we made sure she knew to contact us via cell phone if something comes up. We've tried to make plans, but hold onto them loosely!
Just received Bethany's quarterly publication, LifeLines, in the mail this week. It is really encouraging to see how blessed this organization has been...how the Lord's love is being shown to the orphan! One of the things we love about Bethany is its priorities: "As we work to improve the lives of children, our first response is to ensure that each child is safe. Second, we strive to keep families together, which often involves working with extended families; and third, we offer foster care and adoption services, both in the US and abroad." We truly feel that this reflects God's own heart for children and their care...even though it means that we, as adoptive parents deeply desiring more children, are at the "bottom of the list!"
We thought you might be interested to know as well that in 2009, the US offices of Bethany helped facilitate 755 domestic infants, 541 older children, and 420 international children find their forever families through adoption. Praise the Lord!
Our hearts ache to hold our baby, but we praise our gracious God for keeping us busy while we "actively wait." Thank you for your prayers for us, the birthmother carrying our child, and for our unborn child!
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
A Waiting Family
"Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you;
He rises to show you compassion.
For the Lord is a God of justice.
Blessed are all who wait for Him!"
-Isaiah 30:18
This Bible verse was in our latest newsletter from Bethany Christian Services and was a great reminder of God's goodness! He has blessed us already as we worked through our checklists and jumped through hoops, and He will continue to bless us as we wait for Him and His PERFECT timing for our family.
Many people have asked us where we "fit" in the grand scheme of our adoption agency. We have some current numbers about our Modesto agency that we thought might be helpful...since January 2010:
15 placements (domestic and inter-country)
30 "waiting families" (THIS IS US!)
5 birthmothers at Bethany's House
13 potential birth mothers in counseling
2 families "matched" with potential birth moms
Every month we receive a newsletter with these updated numbers along with the first names of all the waiting families. This has been a great reminder for us to pray for others in our same place....sometimes its difficult to not feel like its a competition! Praying for each other and for Bethany Christian Services' worldwide ministries has been a great source of comfort and conviction. Please join us!
"All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful."
-Psalm 25:10
He rises to show you compassion.
For the Lord is a God of justice.
Blessed are all who wait for Him!"
-Isaiah 30:18
This Bible verse was in our latest newsletter from Bethany Christian Services and was a great reminder of God's goodness! He has blessed us already as we worked through our checklists and jumped through hoops, and He will continue to bless us as we wait for Him and His PERFECT timing for our family.
Many people have asked us where we "fit" in the grand scheme of our adoption agency. We have some current numbers about our Modesto agency that we thought might be helpful...since January 2010:
15 placements (domestic and inter-country)
30 "waiting families" (THIS IS US!)
5 birthmothers at Bethany's House
13 potential birth mothers in counseling
2 families "matched" with potential birth moms
Every month we receive a newsletter with these updated numbers along with the first names of all the waiting families. This has been a great reminder for us to pray for others in our same place....sometimes its difficult to not feel like its a competition! Praying for each other and for Bethany Christian Services' worldwide ministries has been a great source of comfort and conviction. Please join us!
"All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful."
-Psalm 25:10
Sunday, May 9, 2010
HURRY UP....and w-a-i-t.
We are "in the book!!!"
Such an exciting time....hard to believe that we have really checked all our lists and jumped through all the hoops. We've done the best we possibly could with all the things we could have "control" over and now we've handed it over. *WOW* We really covet your prayers for our social worker, Rhonda, now! She is the one who will be showing our profile to potential birthmothers. Pray that the Lord will give her insight and clarity!!!! Please also continue to pray for our future birthmother....we know that God has a beautiful plan for her life and are eager to welcome her into our family. Pray also for our unborn child!!!! Our hearts ache to meet this precious person that the Lord is bringing to our family in such a special way....pray especially for safety for him/her.
If you want to have a really good idea of what "phase" we're in now, think about going to the airport. You plan your trip ahead of time, prepare as much as you possibly can for a smooth and problem-free trip. You arrive early to the airport and prepare for the security checks, etc. Hurry hurry hurry...then wait wait wait. No matter how many times you check the departure screen or ask the airline personnel, things only move so quickly. You just don't have control over when that plane arrives! Sometimes the plane is delayed or cancelled and the only thing you can control is how to respond to those situations. THIS IS ADOPTION!!! Its a wonderful and beautiful thing that is 100% worthwhile...but there are also a lot of things that seem like you should be able to control, and you just can't!
Thankfully, we have A LOT of GOD-GIVEN peace about this waiting/lack of control....but we urge you to pray for us as we wait. Yes, we will be "checking the departure screens" regularly (our social worker has encouraged us to call her once a month to check in and see if anyone has shown interest in our profile, etc.) and yes, we will probably get antsy and anxious at times. But we are truly confident that God has gone before us and already determined who our birthmother and child are! As Ethan reminds us, "God is never surprised."
Our prayer during this waiting time is to focus on the work the Lord has set before us right now.....we are still involved in ministries at our local church and involved in our community activities. Ashley will not be going back to teach Spanish this fall, but is hoping to pump up her photography business to keep her busy (www.cainphotography.blogspot.com). Summer should be an exciting time with several family vacations planned too! We are trusting in the promise of Proverbs 4:25-26:
"Let your eyes look directly ahead
And let your gaze be fixed straight in front of you.
Watch the path of your feet
And all your ways will be established."
Such an exciting time....hard to believe that we have really checked all our lists and jumped through all the hoops. We've done the best we possibly could with all the things we could have "control" over and now we've handed it over. *WOW* We really covet your prayers for our social worker, Rhonda, now! She is the one who will be showing our profile to potential birthmothers. Pray that the Lord will give her insight and clarity!!!! Please also continue to pray for our future birthmother....we know that God has a beautiful plan for her life and are eager to welcome her into our family. Pray also for our unborn child!!!! Our hearts ache to meet this precious person that the Lord is bringing to our family in such a special way....pray especially for safety for him/her.
If you want to have a really good idea of what "phase" we're in now, think about going to the airport. You plan your trip ahead of time, prepare as much as you possibly can for a smooth and problem-free trip. You arrive early to the airport and prepare for the security checks, etc. Hurry hurry hurry...then wait wait wait. No matter how many times you check the departure screen or ask the airline personnel, things only move so quickly. You just don't have control over when that plane arrives! Sometimes the plane is delayed or cancelled and the only thing you can control is how to respond to those situations. THIS IS ADOPTION!!! Its a wonderful and beautiful thing that is 100% worthwhile...but there are also a lot of things that seem like you should be able to control, and you just can't!
Thankfully, we have A LOT of GOD-GIVEN peace about this waiting/lack of control....but we urge you to pray for us as we wait. Yes, we will be "checking the departure screens" regularly (our social worker has encouraged us to call her once a month to check in and see if anyone has shown interest in our profile, etc.) and yes, we will probably get antsy and anxious at times. But we are truly confident that God has gone before us and already determined who our birthmother and child are! As Ethan reminds us, "God is never surprised."
Our prayer during this waiting time is to focus on the work the Lord has set before us right now.....we are still involved in ministries at our local church and involved in our community activities. Ashley will not be going back to teach Spanish this fall, but is hoping to pump up her photography business to keep her busy (www.cainphotography.blogspot.com). Summer should be an exciting time with several family vacations planned too! We are trusting in the promise of Proverbs 4:25-26:
"Let your eyes look directly ahead
And let your gaze be fixed straight in front of you.
Watch the path of your feet
And all your ways will be established."
Choosing joy today!!!!!!!
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Profile Complete!
PRAISE THE LORD!
Our profile is done done done! So exciting I can't even put it into words. And yet, I'm feeling really nervous too....this makes it more real. Just trying to lather our family, new baby, and future birthmother in prayer!
Here are some pages from the profile. A lot of you have asked to see the final "product"...enjoy!
Thank you for your prayers and loads of encouragement. We really feel the "hurry up and wait" right now, but are trusting in God's perfect timing for our family.
Our profile is done done done! So exciting I can't even put it into words. And yet, I'm feeling really nervous too....this makes it more real. Just trying to lather our family, new baby, and future birthmother in prayer!
Here are some pages from the profile. A lot of you have asked to see the final "product"...enjoy!
Friday, April 23, 2010
Profile Mania
Our days are FULL. Full of God's goodness demonstrated through the generosity of so many families and through the time to complete our profile! We are so thankful for all the people who have joined us in bringing our new baby home...friends, family, clients. THANK YOU! I just really feel like we can't say that enough...through your help we have raised the $6000 we need to get on the waiting list and are beginning to chip into the $10,000 of legal fees. WOW! In September 2009, these numbers seemed impossible. But as we know, with God ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE!
As I mentioned, we are furiously working on finishing our adoptive family profile. This is a mini-scrapbook showing who we are and what our family is like. It has been such a blessing (and FUN!) to go through all our old pictures and pick the ones that tell our story best. We found some "gaps" in our pictures, though, and asked Sarah (Ben's sister) to take some couples pictures for us. She did such an amazing job....a very talented and artistic eye.
When we finish the profile (our goal is Sunday night!), we will post some of the pages for you to see. Thank you again for your prayers and encouragement! Please pray for our birthmother as she may already be pregnant, for our unborn child as he/she is growing, and for us as we continue to trust in God's perfect timing.
As I mentioned, we are furiously working on finishing our adoptive family profile. This is a mini-scrapbook showing who we are and what our family is like. It has been such a blessing (and FUN!) to go through all our old pictures and pick the ones that tell our story best. We found some "gaps" in our pictures, though, and asked Sarah (Ben's sister) to take some couples pictures for us. She did such an amazing job....a very talented and artistic eye.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Fundraiser update
Thank you to everyone who came out for the Mountain Mike's fundraiser! It was so encouraging and FUN to catch up with so many people who love us and care about our new child. Thank you for your support!!
*drum roll please*
The grand total from the pizza fundraiser was $500!
We now have $4500 of the $6000 we need to get on the waiting list! Please know how deeply grateful we are to each and every one of you who has helped us along our journey. We could not bring our new baby home without you!
Some of you have asked how you can donate to our adoption fund. While we know its easy to set up an online account, we would rather have 100% of your donation go to our fund than a portion of it pay for the ease on online payments. We would be happy to send you our mailing address if you are burdened to donate. Please know that we also covet your prayers and really truly need that protection and encouragement even more so than any financial contribution. Thank you!
Also wanted to update you on the two other items are currently working on. First, we continue to create our family profiles. This is a 6 page "scrapbook" about our family and is the booklet our potential birthmother will look through to choose us! Rather than cut and paste 8 copies of the same scrapbook, Ashley is creating a digital album with Photoshop. Such a blessing to have access to wonderful technology! Pray for us as we carefully (and PAIN STAKINGLY!) choose the pictures to include. We are thankful that our letter is already written out, but sorting and re-sorting through all our pictures seems just a difficult right now....ha ha ha ha ha!
Second, we are filling out the application for an interest-free loan through the ABBA Fund. This is a wonderful "covenant loan" program specifically designed for adoptive families. Our hope is to qualify for $10,000 to pay for the legal fees due when we are matched with our birthmother. We should be able to pay the loan off quickly with our $10,000 adoption tax credit. While we are waiting to be matched, however, we will still continue our fundraising efforts to "bite off" bits of this remaining fee.
Our hearts are heavy to meet our new child. We truly ache to hold him/her in our arms and pour out our love! It breaks my heart (Ashley) when 3 year old Ethan sighs and asks, "When is our new baby coming home, mama?" I know that God is doing a good and perfect work...but the waiting and working wears you down when you see its effect on your children. Nevertheless, we trust in our all-powerful God and cling to the truth we know: He is GOOD and He loves His children.
Thank you for sharing in our joys and praying us through our struggles. Thank you for helping us in big and little ways....we are so thankful for you!
*drum roll please*
The grand total from the pizza fundraiser was $500!
We now have $4500 of the $6000 we need to get on the waiting list! Please know how deeply grateful we are to each and every one of you who has helped us along our journey. We could not bring our new baby home without you!
Some of you have asked how you can donate to our adoption fund. While we know its easy to set up an online account, we would rather have 100% of your donation go to our fund than a portion of it pay for the ease on online payments. We would be happy to send you our mailing address if you are burdened to donate. Please know that we also covet your prayers and really truly need that protection and encouragement even more so than any financial contribution. Thank you!
Also wanted to update you on the two other items are currently working on. First, we continue to create our family profiles. This is a 6 page "scrapbook" about our family and is the booklet our potential birthmother will look through to choose us! Rather than cut and paste 8 copies of the same scrapbook, Ashley is creating a digital album with Photoshop. Such a blessing to have access to wonderful technology! Pray for us as we carefully (and PAIN STAKINGLY!) choose the pictures to include. We are thankful that our letter is already written out, but sorting and re-sorting through all our pictures seems just a difficult right now....ha ha ha ha ha!
Second, we are filling out the application for an interest-free loan through the ABBA Fund. This is a wonderful "covenant loan" program specifically designed for adoptive families. Our hope is to qualify for $10,000 to pay for the legal fees due when we are matched with our birthmother. We should be able to pay the loan off quickly with our $10,000 adoption tax credit. While we are waiting to be matched, however, we will still continue our fundraising efforts to "bite off" bits of this remaining fee.
Our hearts are heavy to meet our new child. We truly ache to hold him/her in our arms and pour out our love! It breaks my heart (Ashley) when 3 year old Ethan sighs and asks, "When is our new baby coming home, mama?" I know that God is doing a good and perfect work...but the waiting and working wears you down when you see its effect on your children. Nevertheless, we trust in our all-powerful God and cling to the truth we know: He is GOOD and He loves His children.
Thank you for sharing in our joys and praying us through our struggles. Thank you for helping us in big and little ways....we are so thankful for you!
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
FUNDRAISER!
March already?! Time flies when you're raising money and preparing for an adoption, I guess?! We wanted to start by thanking all our family and friends that have asked us questions and prayed for us. You are an amazing source of encouragement for us. There are so many days where we look at the bassinet in our room and think, "Its too big for us. It just will never happen." Through your faithful prayers, words, thoughts, and questions, however, we are motivated to keep on keeping on! God is moving and faithful to bring our little one home to us....
Our next BIG fundraiser is Sunday, April 11. The owners of Mountain Mike's Pizza in El Dorado Hills are friends of ours and have graciously offered to donate a portion of their proceeds to our adoption fund! Tell your friends, family, neighbors, teammates to stop by! Mention "The Cain Family Adoption" when you order and help inch closer to our next financial goal of $6000. Eat in and take-out orders placed between 12-8pm will benefit our adoption. We'll be there in the afternoon from 12-3ish so stop by and visit!
Cain Photography will also have a small booth set up with a Family Portrait Special. See sample images and sign up to schedule a portrait session at a special price. 100% of the profit from Cain Photography benefits our adoption! Taking a family portrait this summer puts you ahead for Christmas cards! Visit: www.cainphotography.blogspot.com
Thank you again for your support. By reading our blog and staying informed, you ARE helping! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! We can not bring home our child without you!
Our next BIG fundraiser is Sunday, April 11. The owners of Mountain Mike's Pizza in El Dorado Hills are friends of ours and have graciously offered to donate a portion of their proceeds to our adoption fund! Tell your friends, family, neighbors, teammates to stop by! Mention "The Cain Family Adoption" when you order and help inch closer to our next financial goal of $6000. Eat in and take-out orders placed between 12-8pm will benefit our adoption. We'll be there in the afternoon from 12-3ish so stop by and visit!
To recap:
Cain Family Adoption Fundraiser
PIZZA NIGHT!
Mountain Mike's Pizza
2201 Francisco Dr, El Dorado Hills
Sunday, April 11, 12-8pm
Mention "The Cain Family Adoption" and a portion of your order will benefit our adoption fund!
Cain Photography will also have a small booth set up with a Family Portrait Special. See sample images and sign up to schedule a portrait session at a special price. 100% of the profit from Cain Photography benefits our adoption! Taking a family portrait this summer puts you ahead for Christmas cards! Visit: www.cainphotography.blogspot.com
Thank you again for your support. By reading our blog and staying informed, you ARE helping! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! We can not bring home our child without you!
Saturday, February 13, 2010
February Update
We have had a lot of people ask about our adoption recently - things have been relatively quiet on "the outside" so people start to wonder. We are moving right along!
As an approved family through Bethany we are waiting to receive our completed home study document. This is a large, 14 page study about our family: finances, relationship, safety, etc. Once we receive the home study from our social worker, we are sending in applications for 3 different adoption grants. Our hope is to receive some substantial grant monies to help with the remaining $15,000 we need to actually finalize the adoption ($5000 for the waiting list, $10,000 at placement).
Our birthparent letter is finally done! It was tricky to put into words the deep emotions we feel, but the Lord was gracious is helping us to be clear and heart felt. Our social worker is looking over our letter and will let us know about any renovations she might recommend. I am still sorting through photos to use for our "profile" (similar to a scrapbook about our family). My hope is to print these out and have a "scrapbooking assembly line" during the next few weeks!
Everytime we walk by the bassinet in our bedroom we are reminded of God's goodness. He has placed this burden for a new little one on our hearts and we know He is faithful! We have been meditating on the promise of Psalm 16:8: "I have set the Lord continually before me; because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken." Our prayer is to align our will with God's! We know that His plan AND timing are best!!
Thank you for your prayers. We are deeply grateful for your encouragement and support!
As an approved family through Bethany we are waiting to receive our completed home study document. This is a large, 14 page study about our family: finances, relationship, safety, etc. Once we receive the home study from our social worker, we are sending in applications for 3 different adoption grants. Our hope is to receive some substantial grant monies to help with the remaining $15,000 we need to actually finalize the adoption ($5000 for the waiting list, $10,000 at placement).
Our birthparent letter is finally done! It was tricky to put into words the deep emotions we feel, but the Lord was gracious is helping us to be clear and heart felt. Our social worker is looking over our letter and will let us know about any renovations she might recommend. I am still sorting through photos to use for our "profile" (similar to a scrapbook about our family). My hope is to print these out and have a "scrapbooking assembly line" during the next few weeks!
Everytime we walk by the bassinet in our bedroom we are reminded of God's goodness. He has placed this burden for a new little one on our hearts and we know He is faithful! We have been meditating on the promise of Psalm 16:8: "I have set the Lord continually before me; because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken." Our prayer is to align our will with God's! We know that His plan AND timing are best!!
Thank you for your prayers. We are deeply grateful for your encouragement and support!
Friday, January 8, 2010
Home Study....CHECK!
Hard to believe it, but our home study is done done done! We had the last step of our approval process this afternoon: the home safety check. While we over-prepped (in a BIG way), our extra-preparation made the home visit very stress-free and quick. As Ethan said, "Our house is very safe for babies."
We have two more steps before we can be chosen by our birthmother. First, we need to compile an adoption family profile. This profile is a mini-scrapbook about our family. It includes a birthmother letter, a run down on who we are, and pictures that show the essence of our life. A huge task when you consider how many pictures we take in our family! It is staggering to think about writing a letter to the woman who is/will be carrying our child - we love her already for her sacrifice and soft heart. Plus, how in the world are we supposed to condense our very full lives into neat, little paragraphs?! *whew* We continue to enjoy the process!
Secondly, we need to finish raising support for our next financial deadline. We need just over $6000 to reach our next goal. Despite the HUGENESS of these types of deadlines, we are confident that the Lord will provide: He has already through meeting our regular monthly needs PLUS these extra adoption needs. Very exciting. If you are willing to help us with a game night, bake sale, or silent auction, please let us know! We will also be sending out applications for different adoption grants in the next few weeks.
Please continue to pray with us! Our God is gracious and good. We don't know exactly what His plan is for our family, but we know it will be best!
We have two more steps before we can be chosen by our birthmother. First, we need to compile an adoption family profile. This profile is a mini-scrapbook about our family. It includes a birthmother letter, a run down on who we are, and pictures that show the essence of our life. A huge task when you consider how many pictures we take in our family! It is staggering to think about writing a letter to the woman who is/will be carrying our child - we love her already for her sacrifice and soft heart. Plus, how in the world are we supposed to condense our very full lives into neat, little paragraphs?! *whew* We continue to enjoy the process!
Secondly, we need to finish raising support for our next financial deadline. We need just over $6000 to reach our next goal. Despite the HUGENESS of these types of deadlines, we are confident that the Lord will provide: He has already through meeting our regular monthly needs PLUS these extra adoption needs. Very exciting. If you are willing to help us with a game night, bake sale, or silent auction, please let us know! We will also be sending out applications for different adoption grants in the next few weeks.
Please continue to pray with us! Our God is gracious and good. We don't know exactly what His plan is for our family, but we know it will be best!
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