Well, I've never written a blog before, but figured this was as good of time as any to get started.
Neal, the boys, and I have all decided that our family will not be complete until we have a little China Girl come be a part of our family. It's really not that simple though. Neal and I have always had a calling to adopt and recently our kids, especially Graham, have questioned why we can't adopt a little girl from China. Having not ever discussed adopting with him, I can only say God was speaking loud and clear through him that He really does intend for us to follow through with what He has asked us to do.
Neal and I started looking into the adoption process and on July 20, 2011 we went to Great Wall Adoption Agency in Austin and visited with them. That was the day we decided to take the leap! There have been a few hold ups along the way but yesterday, November 13th, we had our first home study visit! Right before the visit we were able to attend a special adoption awareness service at our church that was just what we needed to remind us that we are not just doing this for ourselves but because we have been chosen by God to give an orphan a home and family.
We are currently doing lots of paperwork and gathering documents. We have three more home study visits to complete and then we can get that report done and be a lot closer to having our dossier complete. Every day we are one day closer. Patience, patience, patience! Lol!
The following is a letter that we sent out to our families on August 24th with our exciting news:
Dear Family,
Neal, Graham, Cayden and I want to share some really exciting, special news with all of you. I figure an email is the easiest way to accomplish this! Word spreads fast so I wanted you all to be the first to know.
As most of you know, Neal and I have always talked about expanding our family through adoption if we ever felt that we wanted to. Our desire to adopt a child has never lessened and we have come to realize that the very call by God to adopt is a unique thing. Therefore, we are currently on the path to adopt a young girl from China!!! We are hoping to have her in our home within the next 12-18 months. We are very excited, as are her big brothers.
Please pray for this journey that we are on and especially for the little girl that is already over there that God has planned to be a part of the DeForest family. As we are looking to adopt a child that is 2 -5 years old, she is already alive and waiting on her forever family to come pick her up. She is a very lucky little girl to have such a great extended family to share her life with.
I hope to start a blog in the next few months and will let you know when I do.
Love,
Dawn, Neal, Graham & Cayden
Well, the blog has started! Please continue to pray for our family, our journey, our little girl and those that care for her now.
Love,
The DeForests -1