And so the waiting begins...AGAIN!

"The Lord will fulfill His purpose for me; 
Your love, O Lord endures forever."

Psalm 138:8

"I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, 
and in His word I put my hope. 
My soul waits for the Lord."
Psalm 130:5

Our family is definitely more than blood.
Our family is made possible through death and resurrection.
He gives us life so that we may give others life.

Today, this morning in fact, we will have our home study.

This is our third home study to be exact.

The third time someone has come into our home to interview us, create a binder wide biography that says everything case workers would need to know about us and our extended family, in order to find children for us. The third time we have had to pay $40 each to get fingerprinted by the FBI to make sure we didn't become criminals last year or anything. But don't worry, they don't require you to pee in a cup for other tests. I mean, that would be intrusive! Ha!

This is our life.

The majority of the population have kids without a third party (or fourth, fifth, even sometimes a tenth party) involved. You know, they pee on a stick, wait 9 months, and BAM, kid arrives. The nurses hand the kid to the parents and they leave the hospital to go home. Nobody checks in on them and their home prior to the baby nor after the baby.

No questions are asked of the parents such as.... 

Where will the child sleep? 

How have you child proofed the home?

How do you feel your parent's parenting style has influenced yours?

How do you plan on handling (enter example here) situation?

Have you locked up nerf guns separate from locking up the nerf bullets?

How do you plan on having the bio family involved in their life?

What is your support system like and do you have FBI background check approved babysitters ready?

Have you installed the 5lb (which is really 8lbs) fire extinguisher on your kitchen wall (for all of heaven and earth to see the ugly thing) and had it inspected by the fire marshal to make sure it is up to code?
Can I see your "survival kit" enough to feed, water, and clothe your entire family for three days? (Because of course, we would obviously stay in our house w/out power and water instead of driving to a hotel or family member's house???)

Did you lock up the vitamins separate from locking up the baby rash cream?
And are all cleaning supplies locked away as well?

Do you have a locked bag in your fridge on the off chance the kids come with refrigerated meds?

Where is the binder to log all of the medicine the child takes?

Do you feel capable to handle and meet the needs of your children?

This is about to be our life, yet again.

All in the name of parenting more children.

This morning I reflected over Psalm 113. These verses have meant many things to me at different times in my life. Right now, they are a reminder that my children whom I have not yet met have a story that has not come to fruition. But one day, very soon....

"He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap; He seats them with princes, with the princes of their people."

They will be our princes.

They will be our people.

They will be ours.

And as it continues to say in the next verse...

"He settles the barren woman in her home as a happy mother of children.
Praise the Lord. Hallelujah!"

His promises are always true.

Even if they don't look the same for all people.

God knows our steps before we even take them. Everything put before us in life is meant to draw us closer to Him. So while we don't have a family that looks like the majority of the world, we do have a family that allows us to share the story of Christ anytime someone asks a curious question about how we don't look alike. We get to show His love for us with people in the grocery store, in our neighborhood, on mission trips around the world, to our family, and even to others at church.

Far greater are His plans for my life than mine!

That has become very evident to me with each passing year.

So as we proceed through this interrogation in a little while (just kidding.....maybe not kidding) so that we can grow our family by more children, I am reminded that this is just another step down the path He has already walked before me. I am just instructed to follow.

And so the waiting begins!

Home Study today.

Paperwork processing for a few weeks.

And then the search begins to find a sibling group in foster care for us to adopt!

Ummm, yes...I said sibling group.

That means more than one.

We could go from a family of four to a family of SIX

(or heaven help us SEVEN)
OVERNIGHT!

Our family is about to grow in size, adventure, dynamics, and more!

It sure is one crazy, wild life we are walking down.

But I wouldn't have it any other way. :)


P.S.
For those I might have just scared or if you are questioning walking down this path let me tell you that it is not too bad. I promise it won't kill you. We survived enough to try it again, and now yet again for a third time. When that child says (or screams from the other room) "mama!!!!!" - it makes it all worth it.

Because family is more than paperwork, interrogations, waiting, all of the struggles (before, during and after), and family is definitely more than blood.

Family is a choice.
A choice to love.