Our first post, an introduction

Welcome to our first ever blog!  We are thrilled that you took time out of your busy life to take an interest in what God is doing in ours!

My wife and I were married shortly after high school and have been together for over 15 years now!  We have been unable to have children although there is no medical reason that the doctors have found.  It is our belief that our first 15 years of marriage has been a time to enjoy each other, pursue what we wanted and learn to love each other as we were made to do.  Now, we feel it is our time to use what we have learned and pursue what God has in store for us.....and what a ride he has planned!

We have felt a pull towards adoption several times over the last 5 years, doing a class here or there, looking at children on foster sites, observing others who have gone through foster parenting or adoption, but we have lost heart in the past.  Feeling that adoption might be right but not knowing when, where or who!  Well, after a recent visit to a friends house to see their 2 baby girls (9 months and 5 years), we knew our calling.

Our friends had gone through a program called Reeces Rainbow (www.reecesrainbow.com) and had, through a multiple set of miracles, just returned home with 2 sisters from Ukraine with downs syndrome.  After telling us some of the circumstances that these children face over there we prayed, and acted upon what God was guiding us to do.  See, these children are seen almost as "throw away" babies over there (here too but 90% are aborted).  Most Downs children are put into an orphanage at birth and between the ages of 4-5 are sent to a mental institution to live out the rest of their lives, with little or no hope of ever knowing a real family.  We are now in the adoption process for a little boy in Ukraine with Downs Syndrome!  We can honestly say, we never thought we would have the desire to do this....after all, everyone wants a perfect, healthy baby, either through natural child birth or adoption.  And though I do still desire that child, this one seem so special to me.

God reminded me, I was a misfit, someone who didn't measure up to His sense of perfection (who could, He's God), I sinned every day against Him and His standards (my actions, lack of actions, words, even our thoughts), but He still pursued me!  He gave me chance after chance after chance (the longsuffering we read about) until He changed my heart.  He called me His son, He no longer sees my sin (Jesus paid the price, the sacrifice that needed to be made to atone for my sin), I'm seen worthy to be in His presence, Worthy to be called His son!  That's why we are doing this, this little guy is worth to be called our son!  He is created in the image of God, just like all of you!  Worthy to be loved, demanded of our Heavenly Father to be loved and cared for (the widows and the orphans), cherished in God's eyes and ours!

We have been cautioned, warned, tried to be talked out of, but we can't.  God has put such a passion in our hearts for this little guy, we have to....but not with a sense of having to, but one of pure joy!  We know this is a life long decision.  We don't know the full medical, emotional, physical conditions (although Reeces Rainbow does their best to accurately describe any known or though problems) but we feel that no one is guaranteed that even a healthy child will not succumb to problems on any one of these levels.  We simply know in advance, and that is a blessing from God.

We have seen many ups and downs over the past week and a half as this has taken off quickly!  With every down God provided us with an amazing lift that can only come from Heaven.  He loves us!

Trust in Him!

Joel and Rachel