Kaitlyn's Way

A man’s steps are from the LORD;
how then can man understand his way?
Proverbs 20:4

I have had so many of you ask how we learned of Kaitlyn....

I was at a teacher's meeting Monday night, November 9th, and when I arrived home, Eric was waiting in the kitchen with the question:
"How would you feel about having another daughter?"

Kaitlyn has been living with her Aunt Debbie and my Uncle Jason. (Debbie's sister is Kaitlyn's mom). She has made some bad choices that have led her down another path of destruction. Kaitlyn has been in their care before and they picked her up again October 25th. They love Kaitlyn and in the following weeks after picking her up, they evaluated if they should be the ones to care for Kaitlyn long term. Their youngest is sixteen and they have recently become grandparents, thus beginning a new stage in life. I could not tell you how or why they dialed our phone number that night, it is a story for Aunt Debbie to tell, but I am so thankful they did.

Sometimes we question the providence of the Lord. Why did He give this child to "mom" to begin with? Then the answer simplifies the question, Because He uses all things for His Honor and Glory. Honestly, I cannot imagine an event in our lives that He has used to touch so many hearts.

Today, as I post this, I have two blue eyed girls snuggled on my right. How funny that my left side has been left empty this morning as I end this post and begin to pray for my brown eyed girl.

Kaitlyn's Way

Today is Thanksgiving and I have much to be thankful for!
In these past couple of weeks I have learned to walk on water. I have learned to put my trust and faith in Him without question. In every step of this adoption process, He has orchestrated the papers, the approvals and the people. It has been ALL perfectly harmonized to His will.
The Home Study is almost completed. On Thursday we will sign the report. Praise the Lord!
It has been an awesome experience and encouragement for me. Carlee, "our case worker", has been awesomely wonderful. We have both been able to openly share the joy of the Lord and our faith. She has been a great encouragement and so nice to talk with.
What's the next step? I don't know.
I have made calls to both our attorneys and will wait for an answer next week.
I do know
that I will continue to keep my eyes on my Father
and trust in His timing.

Kaitlyn's Way

1 John 5:14-15, " Now this is the confidence we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask we know that we will have the petitions that we have asked of Him."

He has worked everything according to His perfect will and plan.
We have our Home Study scheduled for Saturday... did anyone else just gasp?!
A good friend, Diana, recommended Child and Family Partners, local to Lafayette.
I was caught off guard by the warm greeting I received from the director, Vivian. I had expected to be met with an "all business attitude," but found quite the opposite.
I was touched by her sensitivity and gushed as she shared in my joy to become a mother of four!
Today, I received another call from the woman who would be visiting our home and again I was greeted with warmth and excitement! I also found out just how small a world it really is. Her husband works with Eric (not closely, but same division) and she also frequents the Preschool where I work! I'm looking forward to meeting, Carlee when she comes to visit on Saturday. Who know something so scary could be met with such anticipation.
What a testimony to His GREATNESS!
My mind seems to be so full of dates and to-do's that I find it overwhelming. Oh what a blessing to be drawn closer to the Lord between every thought, offering a prayer for everyone involved. The praises and requests are endless, yet as overwhelming as the task list seems, it seems to be the most under-whelming thing at the same time.
It has made me stop and think about why it never occurred to me to pray so much before.
How sad to think just a week ago I was distant from my Father, whom I am clinging to now.
What a blessing Kaitlyn has been to me already and the lesson in faithfulness, I needed so very much.

Kaitlyn's Way

The Lord is making the way for Kaitlyn's arrival into our family....
On Saturday, He softened her mother's heart allowing her to agree to sign over her rights to Eric and I. A huge answer to prayer for all involved.
Today, He lifted two great burdens from our shoulders as He hand-picked an attorney in Texas and one in Indiana. Along with our shoulders, our pockets became a little lighter as we secured both of them with payments. Eric never flinched or even batted an eye. It wasn't until just minutes ago I realized that because of the method of payment we used, a small percentage would be returned to Kaitlyn's new siblings, Luke, Kayla and Krista's college funds.
How exciting to be begin to knit their hearts together so early!
I know the road will be long and will not seem to be exciting at times...
but TODAY is an exciting day!

Please pray for us as we enter Step 3- Scheduling a Home Study.

If you would be willing and able to help us with this endeavor financially you can do so by clicking the link below.

Our Addition

We're EXPECTING!
I'd like you to meet Kaitlyn. Soon to be Kaitlyn Bibby.
Yeah, I have the best sonogram picture around for my first picture!
She was too big to fit in my belly, so the Lord has placed her in my heart to grow.
Conceived in my heart on Monday, November 9, 2009.
Today she is 1 week old.

Motivation

"But the greatest good in married life, that which makes all suffering and labor worth while, is that God grants offspring and commands that they be brought up to worship and serve him."

"In all the world this is the noblest and most precious work, because to God there can be nothing dearer than the salvation of souls."

"God has entrusted to its bosom souls begotten of its own body, on whom it can lavish all manner of Christian works."

"Most certainly father and mother are apostles, bishops, and priests to their children, for it is they who make them acquainted with the gospel. In short, there is no greater or nobler authority on earth than that of parents over their children... See therefore how good and great is God's work and ordinance!"

"When a father goes ahead and washes diapers or performs some other task for his child... God, with all his angels and creatures, is smiling, not because that father is washing diapers, but because he is doing so in Christian faith."
-Martin Luther

The Estate of Marriage

"The WORLD says of marriage, "Brief is the joy, lasting the bitterness." Let them say what they please... To recognize the estate of marriage is something quite different from merely being married. He who is married but does not recognize the estate of marriage cannot continue in marriage without bitterness, drudgery, and anguish, but he who recognizes the estate of marriage will find therein delight, love, and joy without end; as Solomon says, "He who finds a wife finds a good thing," etc. [Prov. 18:22].

Now the ones who recognize the estate of marriage are those who firmly believe that God himself instituted it, brought husband and wife together, and ordained that they should beget children and care for them. They can therefore also be certain that the estate of marriage and everything that goes with it in the way of conduct, works, and suffering is pleasing to God. Now tell me, how can the heart have greater good, joy, and delight than in God, when one is certain that his estate, conduct, and work is pleasing to God?

I say these things in order that we may learn how honorable a thing it is to live in that estate which God has ordained. In it we find God's word and good pleasure, by which all the works, conduct, and sufferings of that estate become holy, godly, and precious so that Solomon even congratulates such a man and says in Proverbs 5 [:18], "Rejoice in the wife of your youth," and again in Ecclesiastes 11 [9:9], "Enjoy life with the wife whom you love all the days of your vain life."

-Martin Luther