I am feeling giddy tonight with news from our placing agency! Looking back at our timeline, it seems like we have been wading in these beginning stages for so long! We trust that God’s timing is perfect and we are trying to rest in that, but some news tonight has us over-the-moon thankful to be pressing onward! Slow and steady wins the race, right?
Since returning from Haiti with adoption on our hearts we found an adoption from Haiti to be a closed door for our family. While this saddened us greatly, we trusted God and his direction as he was clearly guiding us on another path. This whole time, we have simply done the next thing that God has put in front of us, not knowing where it will lead. We trust that God has not given us this passion for no reason and look forward to seeing how it all plays out. We have discovered that as an already large family, some countries aren’t willing to work with us. In addition, there are things in our family history that have left us unqualified to adopt from certain countries. So, it’s been a waiting game to be led to a country that is open to working with our family. We have been working with a wonderful placing agent who has been gracious to forge these uncertain waters with us and champion for our case. We are so thankful! We know God has his mighty hand at work in this and He can make a way when it seems there is no way. There is a child out there who is hand-picked for our family and we will find our way to each other, praise God!
So, that brings us to tonight. Via email we have scheduled a phone conference with our placing agency for this Friday at 3:00 pm to discuss moving forward with an adoption from Grenada! We don’t have all the details at this point but have read about the program and are excited about the possibilities.
A few initial thoughts are weighing on our minds and we would love for you to pray with us about these things. Maybe at some point we will feel otherwise, but of the entire process this seems like the biggest to navigate. As we understand it, there will be at least two trips to Grenada that will need to take place once a referral is made. The first will be about a week. The second, which could be 4 to 6 months later, will be about 3 weeks. So, all total, at least 4 weeks of travel. As you can imagine, we are overwhelmed by the thoughts of coordinating all of this as a family of 6. Do Ben and I travel as a couple and leave our children behind for one or both trips? Does one of us go and one of us stay? Do we travel as a family? This is obviously an expensive option and maybe it would be harder for that initial bonding with our new child? Who would we leave them with if we don’t travel as a family and how do we handle coordinating all of that? We would miss them tremendously and want to experience all of this as a family. If we do travel as a family, would we take another adult with us to help manage everything? On the final return trip we will be a family of 7! All of these arrangements seem overwhelming so we are immediately taking it to God to help us sort out the details. Please pray with us!
In other news, I have been busy baking to raise funds. This past weekend I cranked out dozens of peanut butter balls and sugar cookies, a couple pies, some caramel corn and a cheesecake! I do love baking and am glad for the ability to earn some money doing it but whew! My oven and I are tired! So thankful for the orders and the ability to use my talents in this way.
We will be hitting the fundraising even harder in the New Year and I hope you will be excited to partner with us in this. We can’t do this alone and we trust that our family and friends will help carry us and be the hands and feet of Jesus to a sweet child in need of a family and the gospel of Christ. What a blessing!
Homegrown Hodgsons 