{ACCEPTED...}

Today we were accepted by "Arise for Children", our adoption agency. They contacted all of our references, and we are so excited to begin the true adoption process with them.  It's so funny, because every time I blog about adoption I feel like I should remind you, "I still love Briar!!"....but you know that, right?  I shouldn't stress about that.

Just so you understand, we started "got down to business and stopped researching" in December.  So now we probably have about 11 months left in the process, maybe closer to 23...just depends on how fast the process moves..

It's so bizarre.  Walking this path that we feel completely called to {adoption}.  But every once in a while (multiple times a day), still feeling these pangs. Such as yesterday, when I was spending some time in this amazing "hope" devotional..and then in my bible.  I opened my bible and saw Briar's footprints, that we conveniently put in there when he was born (obviously, as opposed to yesterday....). I really hadn't looked at them but a handful of times. And I opened the bible and they caught me off guard!  There they were. I put my hand up to measure them and put them up to my belly.  Those feet were HUGE compared to his total size.  I mean, no wonder my man hurt me EVERY SINGLE DAY of the last four weeks...  it made me tear up...but it also made me smile.  Such a fight (in my mind) between the great things about his life...and the sadness that he's gone.  Overall, just a sweet moment that reminded me that I actually HAD a baby in there. Sometimes it is hard to believe that he was actually in there.  That most of 2010 was consumed with a pregnancy.  Just crazy sometimes.

It's so funny because I feel like every journey we have gone through recently has a blog community surrounding it.  I wonder if everything is like that.  Do people blog about divorce like they do baby loss? Or do people blog about their jobs like they do adopting? Some do....I guess I am just slowly discovering the blog worlds related to what we are dealing with.  I am so thankful for the baby loss mommas who have shared their lives via: their blogs.  In some of the darkest moments, I would be on my computer, clinging on to the Lord and these dear friends that were also walking there...

But in the same sense, as we enter into adoption...I MUST stay in the baby loss community, because they understand what I will be walking the next 30-80 years....but I also need to connect with the adoption bloggers....because they will also be in my boat. And I don't know any people adopting either.  So, all that to say, through blogs I have realized that some of my HIGH SCHOOL and COLLEGE friends and acquaintances are adopting.

One of them, who happened to just recently have awesome photos taken of them (which I also love...) who are also adopting from Ethiopia!  They are adopting two...and I just wanted to share!

such as Isaac and Kyle.  I was so obsessed with their  pre adoption photos I emailed their photographer, who is super cute.
Check her out!  And check out isaac and Kyle!