Adoption Link Up

I have decided to participate in a link-up post that is being explained on Linny's blog here - 

A Place Called Simplicity

She is featuring some adoptive families that are bringing home one child. It sounds weird to  think that we are now focusing on just bringing only one home, but that is because my two recently adoptees just came home in November. When we decided that God was calling us to a special need child in Ethiopia, we had no idea that it would result with adding three Ethiopians to our family. 

1.   Tell us a bit about the child you are adopting - including this treasure's age and name  - 

We received word that our youngest adoptee's mom passed away only days before we traveled for court in June. Once we were in Ethiopia, we were met with the surprise that Bella had a 12 year old sister that was moved into the orphanage after her mother's death. She was now a 100% orphan without even one alive relative. We went and met Beruktawit and came home to pray about how to help her. Since her most obvious need was a family, we began her adoption in July while before we even brought Selah and Bella home. Since Ethiopia requires two trips, we returned in November to bring our little girls home and spent three days with "Brooke" as well. She is very anxious to join our family and we are praying that we are able to travel for her soon!

We are not allowed to show Brooke's face until she passes court, but here we are walking together. I'm in the blue and Brooke is in the red (taller one). Our daughters Alei (18) and Alyssa  (13) also traveled with us to meet Brooke. 

This picture was her and I the first time we met in June.

What we can show is Brooke's Ethiopian sisters that just came home in November. Selah is on the left and Bella (Brooke's biological sister) is on the right. 

2.  Is the child you are adopting considered "Special Needs"?  

While Brooke's only known special needs is her age, Selah and Bella were both special needs adoptions. Due to their special needs, Selah had been waiting three years for a family and Bella had been waiting since she was born!

3.  What country or geographic area are you adopting from?

Brooke is from Ethiopia, as are Selah and Bella.

4.   Have you adopted before?

Brooke will be our 7th adoption. Along with five biological children, we adopted a foster son in 2006, three children from Liberia, West Africa in 2007 and 2008, Selah and Bella in 2012 and Brooke will bring our total to 12 children with her homecoming in the new year. 

5.   How close to travel are you?

We are planning on a trip in the spring. 

6.   Do you attend church regularly?   If so, what type of church is it?

We attend Calvary Chapel in Fredericksburg, VA and are always there (unless someone is throwing up :)

7.    Do you tithe with each pay {at least the scriptural standard of 10%}?

We are regular tithers.

8.  This week, did you participate in any way with the day of Praise, Prayer by giving praise on the link and then posting your request?

I did not participate with the day of Praise this week; since I have two new pre-schoolers, I haven't been on the computer as much and often miss things.

9.  Have you read the entire Deadbeat Dad series?  {Yes or No}  Please read it in full, so you can better understand the heart of God for stewarding the money He has graciously gifted us with. 

I did read the entire Deadbeat Dad series and whole-heartily. I think often that people hope that God will provide for orphans or their adoptions without requiring them to alter their comfort level, while in reality, God asks us to sacrifice to be able to adopt. Brooke is our 6th international adoption and the journey hasn't always been comfortable.

10. How did you hear about this Link up we are having? 

I read about this Link directly on Linny's blog before it was too late and I'm so thrilled about it!

11.  Is there anything, briefly, that you would like to share with our orphan-lovin', God-honorin', Jesus worshippin' bloggy friends reading this?

The main  thing I would like to tell people is that we are not doing what we are doing because we think we are great parents or have anything figured out. We are only adopting because we love the orphan and know that it touches the heart of God. It is only by His grace that we are able to do what we do and even on the worst day, we are confident that we are better than no family at all!

Finally, understanding that each gift received through this "Response Time" has been entrusted generously for our use from our loving Father, we promise, in the unlikely event that we would be unable to or decide not to adopt the children we are advocating for, we promise to return all of the money gifted to us as a result of this link to International Voice of the Orphan so they can, at their discretion, give to other families currently adopting.      

{Please place your initials on the line.} 
Yes, I will submit____JSF__             No, I am unable to submit to this ________

Thank you for this opportunity!

Jenny and JD