INCREDIBLE News

We have some incredible news to share. This is not your run of the mill incredible news. This is over the top, mind blowing incredible news. This is news that has sent us to the moon and back several times over the last few days. Over a year ago, I wrote a blog about our heart for adoption, about how we felt God strongly calling us to expand our family. You can read it here.

So, people, here’s our news: WE ARE GOING TO PICK UP OUR SON THE LAST WEEK OF MARCH. THAT’S FOUR WEEKS FROM NOW. We started the adoption process in October of 2009 and now, just a short 5 months later, we have a court date. If you are at all familiar with normal international adoption processes, this is really, really fast. My husband’s brother’s family waited over two years. Other friends have waited eighteen months.

This is so fast, that we find ourselves a bit shocked, a bit incredulous. Suddenly, we’re talking in terms of weeks and not months, days not years. We’re as ready as we can be emotionally (at least we think we are). We’re not ready logistically. We need clothes and shoes for a six year old. We need to shuffle the rooms around in our house. Caleb and his new brother will trade rooms with Alex. She has a bigger room that’s better suited for two kids. We need to paint the new bedrooms. We need some new furniture. Our playroom needs to be organized. Alex and Caleb need passports. We need to book some plane tickets. WE NEED OUR PAPERWORK ON THE US SIDE TO FINISH PROCESSING.

We are shocked by the timing, but I have a feeling God isn’t. We haven’t had time to fundraise and adoption is expensive. Divine, holy, and amazing but, expensive. We thought we had 4-6 more months of waiting time to come up with some cash. Ironically enough, though, in the last few weeks before we knew how quickly we would need to travel to pick him up, God has come through in terms of random gifts and unexpected contracts. Again, God isn’t surprised.

To make things even more exciting, there’s a little thing called EASTER that’s coming in the first week of April. Mike is a pastor. Easter is like Super Bowl Sunday for clergy. He’s scheduled to speak at 5 Easter services. Count them, 5. I can see God kind of laughing in his elbow at the fact that our court date is just 3 days before Overlake’s Easter services start. It’s kind of like a divine practical joke. He’s going, “Guys, how much do you trust me?” And we’re like, “Well, OK, a lot.” Considering that this adoption wasn’t supposed to be possible, and that it happened in a nothing short of a miraculous time frame, I think it’s a safe bet to assume God already has a plan.

OK, deep breath.

So, now I’m going to go out on a limb here and articulate a few needs that we have. I’m not good at asking for help. My husband would probably pen that sentence a wee bit stronger. Something more like, “Jodie NEVER asks for help. You have to hit her over the head with it, HARD, to get her to take it.” But, in all honestly, I can’t pull this one off on my own. So, friends, (gulp) here goes.

We need help with a few things:

1) We need clothes! If you have any hand-me-downs left from your boy kids, size 6-7, we could sure use them! I have already given away most of Caleb’s old clothes. If you have any shoes, size 13-1, we could use those, too! These are guesses at his sizes, as he’s apparently in the middle of a growth spurt.

2) We need airline miles! We have decided that it is important for our whole family, Mike and I and Alex and Caleb, to travel to pick him up and get to know his world. Plane tickets to another continent are INSANELY expensive. So, if you have any miles you can donate, we’d really appreciate it. That’s an understatement. We’d probably kiss you full on the mouth. We’re looking for airline miles that work in partnership with Alaska Airlines or Delta. You can e-mail me at jlhowerton@hotmail.com if you feel like you have some miles to spare.

3) Your prayers. We are in brand new territory, here. We have prayed about this A TON and feel God is leading us with his miraculous power, we’ve done our reading, done our research and home studies but, when it comes down to it, we have never adopted a child before. Please pray for our family’s transition and our new son’s transition. He’s going to be leaving a place he’s loved and felt attached to and moving in with us. Pray for his heart, pray that he will be able to grieve as he needs to, and pray for any attachment issues that may arise.

I can’t post a photo of our son online until the adoption is legally finalized. But, I can tell you this. He’s awesome.

We are blessed. We are excited. And we are so, so thankful for your love and support.