It has been quite some time since I blogged about the adoption, so here is the final chapter.
Back on October 1st, I blogged
THIS adoption update as we submitted all our paperwork to the lawyer for finalizing. We assumed at that point, because things were in order that it would all process quickly and we would be adopting in early November.
But then we got word only 3 weeks later that there was an error on one of the more important documents and it had to be sent off for new signatures. Unfortunately, the error wasn't on our end of things, otherwise it could have been corrected immediately. So, as frustrating as it was. I threw my hands in the air and said, "Okay, God. I get it. It's all in your timing."
And so we waited. Some days impatiently. You all waited too. During the month of November I especially dreaded running into people or talking on the phone, even to close friends and family. That sounds awful to say, but EVERYONE wanted an update, and I had NOTHING to share. Some of you were so kind to not bring it up because you knew my struggle, but the looming cloud was always there. But again, God was teaching me that HIS timing is always perfect. I knew that and I claimed it, but the days were still long. I found myself reciting the verse below numerous times a day...
Psalm 130:5- I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in His word I put my hope.
And so the wait continued. The day before Thanksgiving we got a call from the lawyer that they had just received the new correct papers back and we should come in and sign everything on November 30th! Another step closer, talk about something to be thankful for!!
Once we signed our stacks of papers, guess what we got to do then?!? Yup, you guessed it. Wait some more. The week before Christmas I got a text from our social worker that said "Clerk of court says things are in order, will have this DONE by Christmas." While our hopes were up, you just never know until things actually happen. We left to go out of town on Friday, December 18th knowing there were only two more court days that this could happen before Christmas. Monday, the 21st or Tuesday, the 22nd. We were out of town for both, but our social worker would be in touch if she heard anything. I won't lie, I was doubtful.
We were at Mark's parents house celebrating an early Christmas and I happened to be in the right location (my cell service is awful there) to get a voice message from our social worker at about 3:30pm on that Monday that said "call me." When I got a hold of her, she had the news! Our decree had been issued. Kayla was officially a BLEVINS!
Although the wait was LONG and I would have rather had it all done back in November, God used the timing of things to remind me that He has been in charge from the beginning.
This paragraph below is an excerpt from a blog I wrote back in May:
I remember around our early November court date praying that God would somehow find a way to send her back home to her family before the holidays. Don’t get me wrong, her leaving would be a hard thing to bear but I still had a layer of protection I hadn’t quite taken off my heart yet. But if she was with us for all these special moments and traditions that occur in our family—I wasn’t sure my heart would ever recover from the heartache that would come when she did one day leave. But God didn’t send her back home.
I
think this is just another amazing piece of the story, I was preparing for the heart wrenching worst at the beginning of 2015 but God knew she was already home. And THIS year, days before Christmas, He made sure that this sweet girl was HOME!
Then on Christmas Eve, the LAST day we could get a mail delivery before Christmas, I opened the mailbox to find this sitting all alone. THIS was all I wanted for Christmas this year! God is so AMAZING!!
What a gift for
Christmas. I am fairly certain nothing will ever top this year's excitement and
joy as we gathered together as a family at home on Christmas morning knowing
that sweet Little Heart-- was home forever.
For those of you who have been with us since before our move to Brunswick
County-- back when we felt very called to move here although we had NO clue as
to why--- I think we finally got our why! It sure has built our faith knowing
that our God isn't one of coincidence and He planned all along to bring us here
for this sweet little girl. Saying YES to the unknown has been SCARY... but God
keeps pouring out His blessings as we walk obediently down His path for us. He
has taken away things we thought we wanted and couldn't live without and don't
get me wrong, we have taken our share of side trips and detours -- but HE IS
FAITHFUL!
So now what?! Well, another chapter in our story is written and 2016 is already
upon us, but we aren't really sure what is next. I assumed back in April when
we decided to pursue adoption, that we would no longer do foster care after all
was said and done with baby #3. Yet, we still feel very called to be a part of
that and we are simply being open to where God might call us to invest next.
Number one thing I have learned in the last five years... NEVER SAY
NEVER!
And so I leave you this sweet picture...
December 21, 2015
592 days after this precious girl came into our lives was the day we welcomed sweet Kayla Hope home forever.
Thanks for being a part of our story, of her story, and continuing to pray for all of us as we see what God has in store for us next. We are SO blessed to be surrounded by such a supportive community near and far. And as always, if God has it on your heart to get involved in the foster to adopt program, we'd love to sit down and talk to you.
