His way

This has been a year of change, growth and peace from The Lord. The end of January 2012 we had felt it on our hearts we were to start pursuing adoption. When we knew this was our calling, in a way it was a relief for me, my body, emotions, and my entire "being" could start on the path of much needed healing.

A verse that give me encouragement is: Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.

 I was scared-what is this going to look like? Can we do this, adopt? What will everyone think? But when we felt the confirmation from the Lord to pursue adoption, peace & joy took over me.

My dear friend Emily Baynes came over last week for coffee and she spoke such truth into my life. Her words were very gentle, kind and true, saying she knew this isn't the path that "I" would have planned for my life.... that yes I had always had the desire to adopt, but that "my" plan would have gone a little differently. I was so encouraged after having her over, it brought me joy to hear what she had to say.
In the big picture God is using this in our lives to bring us closer to him, glorify him, and that this journey in our life will bring others to find Jesus as their savior. Its not about me, or us, but its about Jesus.

Just as Jesus led the Israelites through the wilderness for forty years, he chose to not take Matt and I straight on the road of parenthood....as we would have wanted. Jesus took us on a different route, not a quicker, easier, cheaper, instant gratification kind of a route. But he took us on a route that has changed us in some incredible ways, weeding out more of the sinful flesh that we have, confirming our identity in Christ and changing us to become more like him. My heart throughout these years has softened, I have become more aware of those around me, and the desire to learn to love others as Jesus does. This really is the life he has chosen for us, this is the big picture.

Paper Pregnant!

It's been a whirlwind of the last few weeks, we've personally been busy but on the adoption end it seemed like we were in our first phase of waiting. We were in the limbo of waiting for our Home study to be approved..... It took longer then I expected, many home studies were turned in trying to be approved before the new year! We finally received the news on December 19th that our home study had been approved and we were officially paper pregnant! It was such an amazing feeling, tears of joy ran down my face. This has been an amazing experience so far, this was the best Christmas gift for us indeed.
Now what do we do you ask? ---> Since we have been approved to basically be parents to a newborn, Matt and I now have the opportunity to apply for grants, praying we maybe get a little help. The. We can pay our next due amount and our profile books will be sent out for birth mothers to see. From there it's all the lords timing (which we know is perfect) for when we get placed.

I will continue to keep you updated as our journey develops! Thank you again for all your love and support! Your prayers mean so much!

Blessings, Emily

Bringing Home Baby Imlach Fundraiser!

We're so blessed from the turn out Thursday night---I honestly didn't know what to expect, we were blown away by the turn out!
Thank you all who came and supported us, we had such a fun night!

For those of you who missed it, I will share a few photos from the evening. For starters my sister Laura made a beautiful Time Line of the Adoption process and many of the things we are to do. This was important to us to share, many people are unaware of what it takes to Adopt. When Laura showed me the Time Line for the first time Thursday night, my eyes welled up with tears. It was beautiful, I couldn't have asked her to do a better job!

She shared photos that I had taken, and explained the cost of the Adoption. 

$550.00 Formal Application Fee(Due with Application) 

This fee covers the creation of your online account, the case file, the collection of references, background clearances, orientation, and the first meeting with Bethany Christian Services Staff. 

$200.00 Training/Education Fee 

$2,000.00 Home Study Fee (Due prior to Home Visits) 

This fee covers the home study that is required for adoption including the creation of required documents, interviews, home visits (4), and gathering/assessing collateral information, service planning. 

$10,000.00 Pre-Placement Services Fee(Due at Approval) 

This fee covers work done on your behalf to have your profile seen by expectant parents and includes your web profile, outreach activities, and various support services during the waiting period. 

This fee also covers the pregnancy counseling provided to the expectant parents and includes work locating, engaging and involving the expectant father  in the process, history compilation, meetings with you, hospital planning, negotiating adoption plans and agreements, counseling at the hospital, and grief counseling. 

$12,900.00 Placement Fee(Due at legal Placement) 

This fee covers petitioning for adoption and other required documentation, placement of the child, grief counseling post placement, file maintenance. 

$2,000.00 Finalization Cost

Meeting with Lawyers and making Adoption Legal in the Courts. 

 $30,000.00 in total 

My reminder to myself daily is that the Lord will provide! 

Didn't matt do a great job on the Map! 

Some of the cards for the Quilt, people wrote a note to the future little Imlach to be! 

Thank you again everyone for coming to our fundraiser and making it a night to remember forever! 

Blessings to you! 

Emily 

My Heart

This is an e-mail sent to me yesterday, it warmed, melted and melted my heart. From my 6th grade block teacher, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.


Dear Sweet Emily,


I am so happy to hear you are soon to be a parent. Parenting is such a joyful, beautiful experience. I remember a quote from your mom when she found out I was to become a new parent, "Get ready, you're in for the best adventure of your life!" I will always remember her words, and I think of her often when we are having our amazing adventures with Stephie. I feel her lovely spirit is with your new best adventure as well.

I am so sorry that I am not able to make the gathering tomorrow, but I do want to meet you for lunch, coffee or dinner soon, and I want to give you a check for the baby God has created for you and Matt.

Let me know your schedule, and let's make a plan!
Love and hugs,
Sherry

  I was so blessed to get this e-mail, it was much needed for my heart. I have been missing my mom a lot throughout this time, but I am thankful for messages like this that encourage me and remind me of my mothers heart.   blessings, Emily

Fundraiser!

Just want to thank everyone for the excitement for our fundraiser tomorrow night! Wanted to give some directions for those who have never been to my dads house.

You will want to be on highway 126 heading East.
Turn Left on Main Street/McKenzie HWY
Turn right onto Mountaingate Drive
Turn Right onto Graystone Loop
House will be on the Left: 6089 Graystone Loop

All decorated for Christmas!

Looking forward to seeing you all!!!

love,
Emily

Thankful

          

            Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
                                                                                                     1 Thessalonians 5:18


This verse sets the tone of my heart. This time of year I know can be difficult for many, but we are called in life to be Thankful in all circumstances. Matt and I had a disagreement recently over something over the adoption fundraiser were having. (this week!) I will be real with you all, I became a little emotional--- no we did not choose this path for our lives, but the Lord allowed it to happen. It would have been much more easier if we could just conceive naturally, our God however has greater plans for our lives then we could ever imagine. This is something I have to remind myself, to be thankful, trusting the journey in life God has Matt and I on. Yes, we are so excited to adopt, adding to our family and continue to grow, seeing where life takes us.


Today I went with a great friend to find fabric for the fundraiser on Thursday, my friend Mica will be making a quilt for the babies room. We will be selling Quilt Squares to help raise funds.

 

Hope to see you at our fundraiser! Thank you again for your prayers & encouragement.

 

Blessings to you,

Emily

Bringing Home Baby Imlach

Bringing Home Baby Imlach----

This is a fundraiser event my husband and I have been blessed by our families wanting to come together and support us in the needs of raising the money we need to adopt. Many people are unaware of the different fees, and tasks you are asked to do through the process....thats why its a process.
Our families have planned a night to Inform others, Connect and get people Involved in our Adoption.

Matt is making a wooden puzzle map of the United States (since our Adoption is Domestic) so people who come to the even have the opportunity to "buy" a puzzle piece and on the back write their name and a little message for our baby to be. When all the pieces are sold, we will put it together and have it hanging in the little ones room. When baby Imlach is old enough he/she will be able to look at the back of the puzzle and see who "helped bring them home".

We will also have quilt squares that can be bought and you can write on the square your name, etc. It however will be sewn on the inside, still such a sweet thing, for this will be the babies blanket.

There will also be a timeline that is created with photos and information of what the process looks like. We are going to have photos from our Profile Book on the television so all can see what we used for that.

We will have computers for guests to look at our Blog, for those who are unaware of it, and can get caught up!

There will be plenty of appetizers, desserts and drinks for all around to share, a night of community and fellowship! We would love for anyone who feels able to join in and be apart of the night.

Blessings to you all!
Emily