So much to be thankful for

As thanksgiving approaches in a week, I am continually reminded of all the amazing people/moments/ & memories that God has blessed my family and I with. 

I have found it so easy to get down and disappointed so fast when I think about the things that I want to happen. I have had visions of being able to share the holidays with our new little one and being able to introduce the child to our friends and family back home in MN. For some reason I was convinced we would be matched early on. Now that its been 6 months since we went active with our profile, and we are still waiting, I will admit I have been easily disappointed. Our agency states that matches happen on average between 1-9 months from being active, but can be longer. Getting close to that 9 months is both scary that this may not happen, disappointing that it hasn't happened yet, and exciting for the possibility that it will! Balancing all these emotions is a constant struggle.

Bryan and I continue to be dedicated in our jobs and staying busy exploring the island! We continue to find more and more places we want to share with our new little one and as family/friends come to visit! Living in a beautiful place like Hawaii has helped us continue to stay positive and hopeful. This place, every day continues to amaze me. Its like God is reminding us everyday that he has got this, he has a plan. I have a big project I am working on at work and get to hire 9 more nurses to my team! This alone has kept my type A personality very busy. I am thankful for the distraction and being able to focus on something other then the adoption ups and downs. 

Bryan and I have also been praying about Foster Care and feel God has truly called us into something much bigger than ourselves. We know a child is waiting for us through this domestic infant adoption process, one that will fit in with our family perfectly. We will continue to pray, grow love in our hearts, and wait patiently for God's timing. To have adoption and foster care stamped on our hearts is one of our biggest blessings. When I think about the infertility journey we have gone through, I am confident in saying we would not want it any other way. Being able to offer a loving home to those children that have not had that opportunity is something we are ready to share. We feel like the lucky few that God has chosen to help children in need. 

Over the last two months we have been blessed to have Brandon, Bryan's brother visiting! Life puts us on journey's in order to help us grow. Having Brandon here has been such a fun adventure AND we convinced our first person to stay and live in Hawaii with us! Brandon found his dream job and is living in a small town near ours and we are so excited to have him near by :) Having strong sibling bonds is something we have with all our siblings and could not feel more thankful! 

So many more adventures to be had...we are looking forward to what God has planned next!

Please continue to pray and share our story in hopes that we find a child to join our loving family soon!! <3 Happy Thanksgiving!

Aloha & Love from our family to yours,

Bryan & Jen

Still waiting...

Honesty alert...

We haven't posted any updates in awhile because there really hasn't been any besides the fact that we are STILL waiting. The last couple months have been an emotional roller coaster of knowing how/what to feel. We continue to wait with anticipation for some sort of contact from our agency or a family considering adoption. 

When we first went active with our profile I would keep the phone really close by and on loud because I did NOT want to miss "the phone call". 

Now that its been 4 months, it has become a little easier to set the phone aside and not dwell on "the anticipated call". Many of you are probably thinking, oh thats not that long. But when you've truly been waiting all your life to become a parent, to be this close, 4 months has seemed like a really long long time!

While we have waited, we have continued to work on the nursery, upgraded our car to have it be able to fit a car seat & gear. We moved to a new apartment within the same building, just upgraded from a 2 bedroom to a 3 bedroom. 

We went through a short stint of frustration, but understood the reasons why. We had to pay a couple thousand dollars again to update our home study because of our new address. We updated our fingerprints again, all the background checks, and paperwork! We know all the hoops and hurdles we are going through will be so worth it, we just have to keep reminding ourselves of this.

 

Through faith we are continually reminded of the work God is doing for us:

"While you are waiting, God is preparing! Sometimes you are in seasons of waiting because your blessing is being prepared on the other side. Wait patiently because God is ordering your steps." 

Psalm 37:23

"You are waiting and He is working. When you have to wait for things, you cherish and appreciate them. They that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength." 

Isaiah 40:31

"When you arrive at the place God has for you, you are going to need a certain strength you dot have now. Do not be wary in well doing, your reward is coming."

 Galatians 6:9

We are continuing to stay positive & busy :) 

We ask that you continue to please keep us and our future child in your prayers. God is so good and we know there is a purpose for all the waiting, emotions, paperwork, and money. 

Thank you for following our journey!

Aloha & Love from our family to yours <3

Bryan & Jen

Waiting & Rainbows

As many of you know since you've been following, we are now active for 2 months with our adoption profile :) I'm going to be honest and say waiting is tough!

We have had many moments of questions, disappointments, hope, and excitement. An emotional roller coaster to say the least. We have been working hard to stay busy and know that God's plans will happen, just not in our time and how we may picture them. We have clung to many bible verses but one that has stuck out this month: Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for Him to act. --Psalm 37.7

My family went to the Noah's Ark replica in Kentucky last month and sent me lots of pictures. Such a truly amazing sight. It got me thinking how many times in the bible God has shown that being patient leads to great things if you just have patience and continued faith in God. 

Noah obeyed God & waited the entire 120 years until God finally said it was time to get on the ark. And just when they thought they were good to go, Genesis 7:10 says that after they got on the ark, they waited another week before the rain even started! Clearly from the beginning Noah had patience. Hopefully you all know the rest of this story, it flooded the world for 40 days and 40 nights and then took about 220 days for the waters to recede! Its all about faith right? We can't forget about the long wait, as that is usually when the most growth happens!

The rainbow is such an amazing symbol of Gods promise to his people. He said he would never bring a flood to kill all living creatures and destroy the whole earth again. When I see a rainbow, which amazingly we see often in Hawaii, it reminds me every single time that God is amazing and he will take care of us. Such a comforting symbol and reminder that each day is a gift from God!

The rainbow in this picture is very symbolic to me. Bryan and I were hiking Koko head stairs for the first time, something I never thought I would be able to accomplish. And on our way up we saw this double rainbow right over our apartment complex. God truly cares and knows what is best for us, even if that means waiting.....What do rainbows remind you of, besides rain? 

We also wanted to share that the frame my grandpa made for us arrived this week!!! It is the frame that we will be putting around our Honu Puzzle!!! Sooooo much love in one puzzle! We are so very thankful for all the love and support we have received and continue to receive, you all are truly amazing! 

We can't wait to put it in the nursery above the crib!!! More pics to come! 

We are so excited for our future child because we know there is so much love for them before they have even arrived!! :) We will continue to wait with patience and hope and know that God's timing is perfect :)

Aloha & Love from our family to yours~ 

Bryan & Jen

The meaning behind the wait...

Yesterday marked one month since our profile went "active", not that we're counting ;)

This first month has challenged us in many ways. I'm not totally sure what I was expecting, but this part of our journey has been extra difficult. It has only pushed us to trust God more and to trust his timing and his will. We got an update from our agency that our profile has been shared with 11 birth families. Hearing that update today was encouraging but scary all at the same time. We struggle with feelings of having to guard our hearts from disappointment and pure excitement. Finding that balance has been the struggle. So what are we doing while we wait and how are we handling it????

We continue our daily routine and work hard at our full time jobs! We have both grown so much in our careers and feel we are in the positions we are meant to be in, in this time of our lives. We are surrounded by amazing supportive coworkers, and we could not be more thankful. I have continued a side job of selling Rodan & Fields products and studying to get my coding certification which will better help me grow in the career that I am in. We have posted some of our favorite bible verses around the apartment to remind us always who is in control and that we have nothing to worry about. 

On the weekends we continue to explore this beautiful island and try to immerse ourselves in the culture and experiences that surround us in this amazing place! We cannot wait to share these moments with a child :)

We have pushed ourselves to try new things and to continue to challenge our strength and abilities physically and emotionally. Going through this waiting journey has truly strengthened our marriage and our faith in God, and we could not be more thankful. We know that God has led us to adoption to provide a loving home for a child, and oh boy do we have sooo much love to share!

We aren't the only ones waiting, we have so many friends and family waiting to hear the news and waiting to be able to help us welcome a child into our family. Even the puppies are learning they have to wait....

The meaning behind the wait...We know there is a reason for this season of waiting. We are thankful for each day we are given and we continue to pray not only for a child to join our family, but for all the birth families out there making this brave and selfless decision to provide their child a life that they may not be able to provide. We pray for these birth moms and their families and pray that God works in their lives in ways better then she ever imagined. 

We ask you for your prayers not only for God to help us complete our family with a child, but also for these birth families and the decisions they are deciding to make. It takes a village and we are firm believers in the power of prayer. Thank you all for your continued thoughts, prayers, support, and love--we are forever grateful!

In the wait....

Aloha & Love from our family to yours~

A Waiting Family

It seems so surreal to see our profile LIVE on the American Adoptions website! It has been 2 weeks (not that I'm counting ;) )  since we have gone "active" and we feel so thankful and humbled for our journey thus far. 

http://www.americanadoptions.com/family_profile/index/fp_id/57406

We continue to pray for God's plan to be revealed to us and to continue to guide us to wait expectantly and patiently. 

We continue to prepare our home and hearts for a child to help us complete our family. We are ready to share this beautiful home and Hawaii with a child. Bryan and I have been in Hawaii now for 2 years and we have just started year 3! It has been an amazing adventure and we look forward to what the future holds!

Although the wait is hard and sometimes discouraging, we know that it will be worth it. We know now, more then ever, that God's plan is far greater then our own <3

In the mean time we continue to explore the island, build our relationships with friends/family, grow our love for each other, continue to love a little deeper, and pray for hope and strength.

We get one life, we want to make it the best we can with each day we are given. Having a child join our family is a desire in our hearts that we hope to get to experience...in his timing!

Thanks everyone for your love and support. Wouldn't be able to do it without you all!

Love and Aloha from our family to yours ~

"WE ARE ACTIVE"

Ok...as I sit here, I have SO many feelings and emotions that I cannot seem to put into words! But I will try...

WE ARE ACTIVE

WE ARE ACTIVE

WE ARE ACTIVE!!!!

What does that mean?

It means after 1 year and 2 months since starting the adoption process we are finally to the point where we get to activate our adoption profile and have it public so a birth family can choose us to help us complete our family! After tears, background checks, forms..lots and lots of forms, questions, home study, appointments, notary signings, and patience we are finally at a point where we are ready..its here!!!!!!!

To say we are excited is an understatement! 

We won't go active officially until our adoption agency receives the paperwork and payment for activation which should be by Monday next week! 

What happens next????

We wait for God to continue his work in our lives. He has the path set out for us and we are so thankful he has brought us to where we are!! We wait for that phone call that tells us a birth family has picked us! It can be a newborn from anywhere in the United States! 

So what do we need from you???

Prayers...and to share our story with others. We all know the power of social media. God has his hand in this and we just pray God leads us to a child who needs us. We pray he helps guide us through the wait and through parenthood! Our profile video you view:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bliGDs_wl5E&feature=youtu.be

This could not be a more fitting time than to have this happen over Mother's Day. I got to spend some time with my mom and aunt over the past couple weeks, and I'm telling you, there is no better feeling then having your mom around. I cannot wait to give a child that feeling! I have learned from the best.

 I have dreamed of becoming a mom and to be this far in the process and to have this much of a possiblity of becoming parents is so humbling. 

Bryan and I went to Kauai this last weekend and used some points we had accumulated. We stayed at a hotel and all we did was relax and let the feelings and possibility of becoming parents set in. I read the book "The Lucky Few" by Heather Avis and I had this amazing feeling come over me that God was in control and that we just need to continue to trust him and be patient. 

I don't know if its a thing for adoptive families too, but I have been in nesting mode the last month trying to get everything ready, just in case it happens sooner then we think. Frozen meals in the freezer, onesies washed and in the closet, bookshelf is full, baby items being purchased when found at good deals. Its been fun, nerve wracking, exciting, all at the same time! Now even after getting prepared we do have in the back of our minds the possibility that things might not work out if us being parents is not a part of God's plan. We are ok with it, we were not for a very long time. But this whole year preparing for the adoption was not just all the paperwork, but God was preparing our hearts and helping us emotionally know how to cope with us not being in control. I am confident I am a better person today then I was even a year ago. I am so thankful for all of our family and friends support through this journey, it has truly been..beyond words.

We are working on getting our Honu Puzzle frame shipped from Minnesota as my Grandpa made it and we cannot wait to add that little touch to the nursery. The Honu Puzzle in itself--the support everyone has offered us is extremely generous and very VERY much appreciated. Bryan and I plan on supporting others through adoption in the future to be able to help them experience the support and love in a way we have received it. Such a humbling and emotional feeling. So..thank you!

We promise to keep everyone updated. Keep the prayers coming! We know God is at work in our lives and we are excited to see what he continues to reveal to us :)

Aloha & love from our family to yours~