Why we chose to adopt...internationally.

We didn't. That is the simple truth. Let's start at the beginning. 

Paul and I decided that we would adopt one more child (insert God's laughter) and I told God that we would do a child from foster care because cost wise it would be the smartest. (Insert more of God's laughter) We prayed and prayed.  I would take all the kids home so I specifically prayed for God to show Paul our child. 

We started the process. Did the paperwork. Paul and I had looked on the website with pictures of children available for adoption. Paul had seen a little boy on there and said he thought he was ours. I said no.  Went to meet with our caseworker, the same wonderful woman that brought us Noah. We were sitting in the meeting and she ask if we had any children in mind and Paul again mentioned this little boy.  He showed her the picture and description and she said it would be hard because he was on the site and in a bad area. She would make some calls. I had prayed for God to show Paul and he did so I needed to trust him. 

Months went by with no word. The caseworker was frustrated but Paul and I were fine. We had decided that our family was fine the way it was and if we got another child fine if not that's ok too. God was in control. Then a friend of ours went to Bulgaria to meet her child and she came home with pictures. As we were looking there was a little guy in one of them. You couldn't see hardly any of him, eyes closed, just a small part of his face. My husband saw him and said "that is my son! We have to go get him!" Umm say what now? 

An international adoption? Oh no way! I said to him, "Do you know how much those cost?! Do you not remember the heartache we went through when we tried to adopt from Russia years ago? No way! You can't possibly be saying this to me!" The more I prayed and looked at this little face the more I knew he was our child. I thought it was funny that the first time we felt the call to adopt we headed to Russia only to wind up in Texas and now we were trying to adopt in Texas and God was taking us to Bulgaria. 

So I got in touch with a person I knew would know more about him or have his file. He wasn't on any website. He wasn't listed on RR. I hadn't ever seen this child anywhere before, but I never thought he wasn't available for adoption. Yes, that is the news we heard first when we inquired about him. He wasn't listed. I thought Paul had been wrong. How could this be? Little did we know that it was because we inquired about him that he was then listed as available for adoption. We were told the good news and proceeded with starting this journey to adopt him. About a week or so later I was on Facebook and there was a picture if this little boy emaciated in a crib. Although he had dark hair and dark eyes he looked a lot like my Noah. I was drawn to him. I knew he was my son. He was 9 years old! He didn't even look 2 years old! 

I have to admit I almost thought no way! Why? Because he was too old. Our oldest child was 11. It gave me pause, but then God took over. I called Paul. I said there is a child on fb that needs a home. He is in the same place as our little boy. I feel like he is ours. Paul said, "commit to him too." Who was this man and where did he hide my husband? I called and told them and that is where our story started. 

Little did we know God wasn't just asking us to bring home two from Bulgaria, but he also knew we would be hearing back from Houston CPS and chosen to be the parents of the little boy that Paul knew was ours.

So now do you see? We didn't chose international adoption. International adoption chose us. We aren't against adopting domestically. We aren't against adopting out of foster care, we have done both. We also aren't against adopting internationally. We didn't chose the country, the special need, the age, the color, we prayed. God chose our children. He then showed them to us and gave us a choice say yes or say no.  We chose yes. We chose the road less traveled. We chose the road that outsiders think is headed straight to Craziville. We chose to look different, take the nasty comments, humble ourselves and ask for help to raise the ransom to bring them home.  Why? Easy. God chose us first. He broke our hearts for what broke His and we couldn't turn away after that.

Proverbs 24:12 Don't try to avoid responsibility by saying you didn't know about it. For God knows all hearts, and he sees you. He keeps watch over your soul, and he knows you knew! And he will judge all people according to what they have done.

Be blessed