I just want to say 'hi' to all of our new friends!
Baby Girl V's story has spanned continents in the past 2 days and has in turn, brought us quite a few new friends ... and while our only purpose was to be God's hands and feet and help one of his most precious angels find her forever family, we're more than ok with new friends, too :-)
We're hoping for news that she's found her family soon... if you happen to be a family who inquired about her and continue in the process of finding out if you're right for her, please keep me posted; I'd love to know how I can pray for you (or Baby K whom we posted about previously!)!
We have been overwhelmingly amazed at how God has used every one of you to change lives over these couple days, alone... baby V's life, our lives, and so many others! There is such a love and compassion for special needs adoption and I can't tell you how refreshing it has been to see just how many people love these precious babies!
I have received hundreds (literally) of emails, comments, and messages in the past couple days from people who had questions about Baby V, questions about us or about adoption in general, and people who just wanted to share their story with us. I have read every single note ... I've cried over many of them and have prayed for the authors of every single one.
Thank you for sharing your hearts with me... that you would share some of the most intimate parts of you with me means more than you will ever know!
Our days are busy and I wish with all my heart that I could reply to every one of you who have written to me, but I just can't :-(
I do, however, want to mention a few things that will (hopefully) answer many of the questions and address some of the emails/messages/comments we've received;
* Our names are Lindsay ( me :-) ), Joey, Hannah (5), and Hunter (2)... and we're just a family with a blog :-) God has written (and continues to write) an amazing story for our family that has taken us through infertility, adoption, special needs adoption, failed adoptions, miscarriage, and everything in between. He writes it and we share it with complete honesty (more on us here.)
* We aren't an agency .... there are times however, when one agency or another will recognize the platform God has given us and our hearts for special needs adoption, and they will ask us to help them find a family for their special ones... and we are honored that they ask! We don't do anything but write a post stating the need and share it where we can... and ask you to do the same. It's our readers and our Jesus who do the rest! We have been amazed at how many babies have found families through all of you and feel overwhelmingly grateful that God sees us fit to be used in this way for His glory. We are never compensated in any way, shape, or form.
* We love comments here and on Facebook and are always looking for topics to write/vent about :-)
* Our blog is a safe haven and our biggest hope is that everything we write will glorify God... he is the Author of our story, after all!
* We're really really really happy that you're here... leave a comment and introduce yourself; don't be a stranger!
Hello! I found your blog through a shared link about Baby V on FB. I wanted to say HI and tell you thank you for being an advocate for these special kids. I too am passionate about finding children homes, only my focus is foster care. :) We are currently working on adopting 2 of the boys in our home (ages 5 and 3). The need for love in this world is great and I am so happy you are spreading some. Much love, Kim
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Kim!
DeleteI just started to follow your blog. I am a full time stay at home mom with 4 kids and go to school online full time. My husband and I have not had to go through what you have had to go through when it comes to having kids but we have always felt that our own biological kids weren't going to be the whole of our family. We are not in a position to adopt right now but hope to in the coming years. I have a special place in my heart for special needs kids and that is the route I want to go when the time comes. I would in a heartbeat take baby V but our situation is right yet. I appreciate all that you do and share!!
ReplyDeleteThat's amazing, Elaina! Thanks for your comment and good luck :-)
DeleteI would love if you would use the platform God gave you to draw attention to the NDSAN www.ndsan.org National Down Syndrome Adoption Network. They are non profit and provide info and support for birth families as well as a registry for hopeful adoptive families. They have profiles of children available in public situations. Families must register to be considered for private situations.
ReplyDeleteI'll look into it, for sure! Thanks for sharing :-)
DeleteThat would be wonderful! There are only 200 families nationwide on the registry and the need is great. The NDSAN is how we were matched with one of our miracles with special needs and we are forever thankful for their role and support.
DeleteI just wanted to thank you from the bottom of my heart for sharing your story. My husband and I also experienced the heartache of infertility, we were blessed with one biological miracle, he's now four. We lost his younger sibling at 6 weeks gestation, I understand the deep gut-wrenching pain of miscarriage after infertility it is something that never quite leaves you. That due date just always circles back around and you can't help but calculate what your child's age could've been. Just recently we were given the opportunity to adopt a newborn baby boy (special needs) this has been a big transition for us as we go from a family of three to four.
ReplyDeleteI just wanted to thank you for being a voice for so many women who've found no other way to share their pain or to connect to with other women who understand. Infertility and miscarriage are rarely talked about in our society and there is such a need to talk about these painful topics to promote understanding and healing for the couples and especially women that grieve these losses. I have found healing and support in your story and I am thankful that God put it in your heart to share your story with others. I will pray for your beautiful family. May God bless you.
Thank you for your encouragement! I'd love to hear more about your precious family :-)
DeleteA friend of mine shared your link with me, mostly because of Baby V, but I didn't get to it on time to have our names submitted as hopeful parents. We've been approved and waiting to adopt for two years now.
ReplyDeleteMy friend and I both have had issues with infertility, miscarriage and adoption. She adopted one, had a miracle baby, and then adopted a second. My husband and I have been trying to have children for 14yrs now. We, just like you, recently would have had a new born if we had not miscarried. It was the third round of IVF that helped us get pregnant, but just before our first ultra-sound, we lost it. (We actually miscarried our first IVF round as well, but that is a long story all by itself) it is hard to explain to people and I'm not sure I can explain that I would have had a new born and a different life had we not lost our child. It still brings tears to my eyes knowing the heartache is always so close.
We are blessed to be able to adopt a little boy though, we are just waiting for the court date to go and pick him up. He has cerebral palsy and is five. It is going to be a big change for us and his family, but it will be an open adoption and so we are just gaining another family into our extended family. We don't want to stop with just one and hope that we might have some even better knows before the end of the year.
Sorry this is a long comment, but I do appreciate your words. I have another friend who blogs about infertility and adoption and it helps those of us who experience it to know we are not alone and others have the same thoughts and feelings we do. Thank you.
I'll be praying for you and your new little one... what an amazing way to grow your family!
DeleteI struggled with infertility but by the grace of God conceived two boys and a miracle baby (pregnant with our third). I have endometriosis and PCOS. I struggle with saying that I struggled with infertility because since I was able to conceive I feel like for some reason some discount the struggles to get there because I did....unlike many sadly. I have a good friend who is still struggling to conceive with endometriosis and gas a 2 year old boy through domestic open adoption.
ReplyDeletePlease don't ever let someone make you feel as if your struggle is 'less than' just because your story has taken you to a different place that it has taken others... your story is yours alone and infertility, no matter how it ends, is terrifying and heartbreaking for anyone. Thank you for sharing!
DeleteHas a....not gas a....autocorrect on mobile!
ReplyDeleteLindsay, do you know anything about Baby D listed under the special needs adoption on The Cradle. Where can I get more information before filling out the pre-adoption application?
ReplyDeleteHi Patrick! I do... they aren't receiving inquiries for Baby D yet but if and when they do, I'm hoping we'll be the first to know :-)
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ReplyDeleteI just had to stop and say Hi. I am an adoptive Momma to four special kiddos (in the process of finalizing our twins' adoption soon- YAY!!!). I have a soft spot in my heart for all these little ones. I saw friends sharing your posts on FB, and shared posts about Baby Boy K and Baby Girl V. I was really touched by Baby Girl V because my oldest also has schizencephaly (with many complications too). Please update when you know more about her finding a family. Some of us Schiz Kidz parents like to think about our kids as angels with broken wings. They are truly precious, but life can be a little 'broken' for them (it isn't easy, that's for sure). I hope she finds a family that deserves her soon. Also, just FYI another resource for help in finding homes for special little ones. We found 3 of our 4 kiddos through Special Angels Adoptions. It's basically just a registry of pre-approved adoptive couples that want to adopt special needs. Might be worth checking into, or passing along info to.
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