How Charlie came to us

We have had adoption on our hearts for along time, at least 5 years, but had never made an action toward it until January of 2008. We went to an adoption conference held in Rochester Illinois hosted by a ministry called In His Hands Orphan Outreach.
It was the beginning of making some connections with others in this world of adoption.
Fast forward to October 2009, we received an e-mail from Michelle McGowan who leads the In His Hands Orphan Outreach ministry. Stating the need of a beautiful little chinese boy who was abandoned when he was 8 days old who needed a home. When we read this and saw his picture we realized this was the answer to our prayer that we had been praying. "Lord, we are open to adoption because we know that this is your heart but would you please bring it to us and then we would know w/o a doubt that this is your will not just our idea."




So, bingo! There it was right on our computer screen in front of our face, we just had to respond. I thought wait a minute, I need to think about this...and then the Lord spoke to me and reminded me that I have been thinking for along time and now is the time to say Yes, or No?!!
That was on a wednesday and by the next Wednesday we were pre-approved by China!!
Wow! That was a scary step of faith but God's grace has been with us every step of the way.
We have been learning so much in this process of completing a Home study, taking 10 hours of on-line international adoption classes, and praying for our son who is on the other side of the world not even aware of what is going on on his behalf to get him to his FOREVER HOME.
We keep his picture on our cabinet in the kitchen and one in the foyer as a reminder that he is our child and all the work we are doing will be so worth it.


It is a very different kind of pregnany but similar in alot of ways.
Even though he is not in our presence we know he IS there and will be with us soon.
We know he is a boy but have no idea "who" he is. I remember thinking the same of my other children, wondering what they would be like. What their giggles would sound like and how they would talk.... all of these neat things to discover about this new little person. Our anticipation is growing the closer we get. We are preparing a place for him in our home; where he will sleep, where he will keep his clothes, where he will sit around our family table, we have been given a childs booster chair he will use. His name, CHARLIE is a commmon name now in our home and among our family and friends. My heart already has a tender spot for my new son. It is neat how that happens, definitely a God Thing!