Answered Prayers!

So just like that ~ we have a match!!!  I am experiencing all sorts of emotions right now: excitement, nervous, stressed, scared, but mostly OVERJOYED.  Our profile book was shown yesterday evening.  Within a couple of hours the social worker wanted to schedule a conference call with us and the birthmother (R.)  So as we nervously awaited the phone call we were told to keep the conversation light and to talk to her like you would talk to a friend you were just getting to know. The conversation was anything but light! R has had a very hard life and she was very open and honest with us.  She didn’t hold anything back. She wanted us know exactly what to expect for the present and the future. Our daughter will be born addicted to methadone.  Her birth and weaning her off of the drugs will be very difficult.  The hospital stay could be extensive.  We will cross those bridges when we get there.  R. is currently in Utah and that is where the baby will be born.

She shared with us her experiences growing up in Kentucky, being an Army brat (that is why she picked us ~ the ARMY connection!), working the farm, riding horses, and going hunting and being outside.  She loves to read and went to college.  It was really neat seeing the similarities she had with our family.

We spoke for about an hour and toward the end of the conversation she said “well I consider this a match.  How soon can you be here?” We were in shock!!!  We didn’t think it would be quite like that. The social worker was supposed to call each of us after the talk and see what we thought, give us time to think etc.  It was quite overwhelming.  We did speak to the social worker and after sleeping on it last night (really I didn’t get a wink of sleep!) we are agreeing to move forward!

Our daughter (name to still be decided but we are leaning towards Jillian) is due on Valentine’s Day!! We have hardly any time to plan and prepare so the next couple of weeks will be fairly frantic!  The kids are not allowed to be at the hospital with us so we have some serious logistics to figure out.

I am flooded by emotions writing this letter but wanted to let everyone know we are so grateful for your care and love. It means the world to us.  Our daughter is going to be so blessed to have such an amazing support system. 

Please pray that R and the baby are both healthy during the next few weeks and during and after delivery. Please pray that R. feels confident in her decision to choose us to parent her baby.  The months ahead for the baby and R. will be very difficult but my heart is swelling with love and gratitude for her sacrifice.

LOVE YOU ALL!

Lindsey