November 1, 2017

National Adoption Awareness Month

It’s National Adoption Awareness Month….so what?

“The deepest and strongest foundation of adoption is located not in the act of humans adopting humans, but in God adopting humans. And this act is not part of his ordinary providence in the world; it is at the heart of the gospel. Galatians 4:4-5 is as central a gospel statement as there is: ‘But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.’ God did not have to use the concept of adoption to explain how he saved us, or even how we become part of his family. He could have stayed with the language of new birth so that all his children were described as children by nature only (John 1:12-13, ‘But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.’). But he chose to speak of us as adopted as well as being children by new birth. This is the most essential foundation of the practice of adoption.” – From Desiring God

Adoption is the heart of the Gospel.

This sums it all up for us. God, in His graceful and loving nature, has called us, who were once dead but now alive in Christ, into His family. We have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus! THIS is adoption. THIS is grace. THIS is love. Adoption is so much more than “doing a good thing.” It’s so much more than “giving a child a better life.” It is sacrificially displaying the Gospel: giving up yourself for the sake of someone else. Isn’t that what He has done for us? {yes!!!!}

Our hearts are for God to be honored in our business. We continuously pray that the Lord would use Lily & Sparrow Photo for His glory. With November being National Adoption Awareness Month, we desire to celebrate this month with adoption stories. We have chosen a family for each month in November to share their story, along with some precious moments we will capture of their family. Below we have included a questionnaire for our dear friends, Jared + Ashley, to answer as they pursue their adoption journey. Their hearts are so geared toward sacrificially displaying the Gospel. We love you guys SO much!

We have been through several years of infertility and loss. We went the IVF route because that seemed like a good option to complete our family, an option to effect us and no one else. While going through our second round of donor embryo adoption, I was in the backyard reading, and it hit me like a ton of bricks! God’s plan for our life was to adopt. We were going to have a brown son and birth a daughter. When Jared got home from work that day, I told him the second round of embryo wasn’t going to work, we were supposed to adopt, and he said ok. Shortly later due to complications the second round of embryo was cancelled by the dr’s. Although we still had 2 of 3 embryo adoption transfers available to us, we were done. The adoption research started through the help of some coworkers. As we talked with one particular case worker, I literally started sobbing on the other end of the phone. God’s plan couldn’t be shown any more real to us. Adoption is how we are going to complete our dream of growing our family and having children. We don’t see adoption as a last chance , but as the plan that God has always had for us. We couldn’t be more at peace and excited for this journey. (side note, a few month after telling Jared my adoption envision from God we adopted a brown male dog, gunner, everyone joked and said that was our brown son, oddly enough we are happy to announce our baby girl due to be birthed Jan 2018.)
National Adoption Awareness Month at Eden Gardens

Before being matched, we looked forward to meeting the birth mom and her family. Then once we were matched, we looked forward to finding out the gender. After being matched, the same things I think all parents go through. Being at the hospital, getting skin to skin contact. Bringing our baby girl home from the hospital and showing her her room that we got to decorate, picking out clothes,  waking up in the middle of the night to feed her and rock her sleep.

National Adoption Awareness Month at Eden Gardens

The hardest part is waiting, wondering when you are going to get the call that you have been matched. Even after the match has taken place, there is more waiting. When will you get update calls about the baby. How is the birth mom doing? Are we going to be good parents? Parental rights aren’t signed away on baby Duncan till 48 hours post-birth, although we feel secure in this, there is the fear way back in our minds that birth mom could change her mind. We are sticking to what we’ve been saying all along, this is God’s plan, God’s timing, God’s child. We know God had a special child meant especially for us.
National Adoption Awareness Month at Eden Gardens

We made a bringing home baby Duncan website T-shirts, which have been a great fundraiser for us! {Click HERE} we also made a YouCaring site for donation and for our puzzle fundraiser. Honestly, just the love and generosity of our friends and family has been amazing.

Do it! We haven’t brought baby Duncan home yet but we are so happy and so blessed. The outpour of love and support has been amazing. The stories of adoption and how it has played a role in their lives from friends and coworkers has been so inspiring. You are not alone! It takes a village. This excitement is unlike any other! God is good all the time! he will provide1 We love because he first loved us. We are all adopted children of Christ!
National Adoption Awareness Month at Eden Gardens
Your sweet baby girl will be here SO soon!! We are so thankful for you sharing your story with everyone!
XOXO,
Mandi & Haylee

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