Meidal Baby #3...

As we have been praying over the last few months about the future of our family, God has led us to the decision to have another child...but this time through adoption!

Ever since our beginning of our marriage, we have often talked about adopting at least one of our children. Now, since we already have two of our own and we're not sure if we want more than three kids, we knew we needed to be seeking the Lord's will more than ever on this issue. God has made it clear in our hearts that He has called us to pursue adoption with our next child, specifically adoption through the foster care system.

There are 63,000 children in the foster care system in California, with 12,150 children waiting for adoptive families. We can't think of a better way for our family to practically live out Christ's redemption and love than to rescue one of these little ones from an abusive or unsafe family situation, or a childhood consisting of moving from foster home to foster home. God has blessed us so that we can bless others! We have several friends and family who have chosen this route for at least one of their children, and they have been huge examples to us. It is comforting to know we will have their encouragement and support during this time.

We have chosen a foster care agency and have begun the process to get certified as foster parents.  Our goal is to have our certification completed (or at least most of it) by June. Since our summers can be unpredictable and crazy, we are going to wait until August to receive a baby. We are requesting an infant, as young as possible, boy or girl, any race.

Once a baby gets placed in our home, the roller coaster ride begins! It can take a year or longer for the adoption to be finalized, and during that time the possibility exists that parental rights will be restored to one or both of the birth parents, and the child would leave our home. We are very aware of the emotional risk we are taking, and I don't think there is any way to be prepared in advance to deal with these emotions. BUT GOD has given us this amazing, encouraging promise in Isaiah 58:7-12:

"Is it not to share your food with the hungry
and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
when you see the naked, to clothe them,
and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousness will go before you,
and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.
Then you will call, and the LORD will answer;
you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.

...if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry
and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,
then your light will rise in the darkness,
and your night will become like the noonday.
The LORD will guide you always;
he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land
and will strengthen your frame.
You will be like a well-watered garden,
like a spring whose waters never fail.
Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins
and will raise up the age-old foundations;
you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls,
Restorer of Streets with Dwellings."

We can trust that, because we are obeying his command to love and provide for the needy, He will be our guide through all the ups and downs. We should be far more afraid of not obeying his call than of what might happen if we do obey! We are excited to see how God is going to work in our lives through this process.

We are so blessed to have family and friends who support us in so many ways. We ask that you will be praying for us, the child who will be placed in our home, and the child's birth parents over the coming months. Our heart's desire is that God be glorified!