Leah Stirewalt

I realize it’s been quite some time since I’ve posted an update on our adoption.

In short…we’re in “waiting” mode. This is where it gets really hard. Waiting, in general, is simply hard friends. It’s even harder knowing the children God is preparing for us to bring home are going to sleep each night in their orphanage bed without a mommy and daddy to tuck them in, read them a bedtime story, and kiss them goodnight. How we long to see the faces, hug the necks, and kiss the cheeks of our precious littles. But, we have to wait until we get the go-ahead.

While receiving our referral and traveling to our program country is the next step in this journey, the reality is we still have quite a mountain to climb in terms of fundraising. We’ve been blessed to see God move through friends and strangers, alike, to provide exactly what we need when we’ve needed it throughout this journey. We know the next amount we have to raise (the largest, to date) is not a surprise to God, and He already knows where it’s coming from also. But, if truth be told, sometimes our weary hearts tend to lean towards a bit of worry. We know better, but if we’re being truthful…worry still sneaks in at times.

We also know to expect the expense of having to update our home study, fingerprints, etc. sometime before summertime, assuming our adoption isn’t complete by then (more-than-likely it won’t be). It’s all part of this crazy, yet amazing, international adoption journey…just wish it wasn’t so hard sometimes.

And so…while we wait…we continue to examine various ideas for fundraising. It’s been amazing to watch how God uses people in that capacity to join us in this journey. Many people can’t just write a check, but most people can do something.

We had a tremendous response from so many people last spring before our mega yard sale fundraiser…from donating items to sell, to donating time to volunteer on the big day, or making items for the bake sale component.
Through The Apparent Project bracelet sale, we raised several hundred dollars and most bracelets were purchased by friends we only “know” through Facebook.
We’ve had various small business owners donate their commissions as gifts toward our adoption…from Mary Kay, Pampered Chef, Younique, and Jamberry.
Our basket raffle in the fall produced an overwhelming response, both from people who provided the baskets and from those purchasing raffle tickets.
The 200 Envelope Facebook fundraiser generated a fantastic response in donations.
We’ve earned money towards our fundraiser account through both of Leah’s businesses: Rodan+Fields (skincare) and doTERRA (essential oils).
Many people have simply donated directly through our You Caring or AdoptTogether pages or by simple dropping a check in the mail to us.
And…we’re currently collecting items for our Spring Online Silent Auction (more details HERE).

We are so humbled by what God is doing, and saying “thank you” hardly touches the surface of our level of gratitude. We pray for each of you who have already given so much to help us bring our children home. We pray God blesses your generosity exponentially, because we know how near and dear to Him is the plight of orphans. We also pray for those of you that will be joining us in this next “leg” of our journey. May God speak with such clarity in how He’s calling you!

You are loved!

I don’t think it’s a big secret that God gave Joel and I huge hearts for children in need of a home. Whether it’s for short-term placement (fostering) or a forever family (adoption), God has prepped us for this season of our life in life-altering ways.

As many of you know, we are currently in the process of adopting a sibling group from a country in Eastern Europe. We are definitely moving through the process, but it’s still a long journey! Our dossier is now in-country and has been translated, and we are waiting on the stamp of approval from the Ministry of Justice’s office, and the next step is a referral (wait time is currently 6-24 months)!

I’ve spoken at length about our adoption journey, and you can certainly read even more about it here and here! But, something I haven’t spoken about much is our experience with foster parenting.

In all honesty…it’s been a little tougher to wrap our heads around. Each placement situation has been drastically different, but I can start by saying it’s been one of the toughest and yet most rewarding experiences of our lives.

To bring you up to speed, we began our fostering journey a little over a year ago when we attended an orientation session at our local county Department of Health and Human Services. The very next week, we began MAPP classes, the state required 30-hour training session. We met with other foster-parent hopefuls for three hours over the course of each of the next 10 weeks and had our minds blown both by the blessings and nightmares in the foster care world.

After completing all requirements for licensure, our paperwork was submitted to the state for approval in late April/early May, and we received our license in June!

We’ve had a couple placements come and go already…one lasted two months but needed more therapeutic care than we were trained to provide. Another lasted only four days and then went to live with a grandparent. Even after only four days, we were attached.

The little bundle of cuteness we currently have living with us has been in our home for five months. He arrived when he was 6.5 months old, and we’ll be celebrating his first birthday later this month. When we “signed up” to be foster parents, we indicated our age preference to be 3-8-years-old. Caring for an infant never even crossed our minds as something we could do. We’ve quickly discovered it isn’t something we can do – only with God’s help have we even made it this far. But, we know He called us to do this, and He’ll equip us each step of the way.

Unlike with adoption, the biggest difference with foster parenting is in the fact the children will more than likely be returning home one day. We knew that when beginning this journey, but we began it nonetheless…out of obedience to what we know God called us to do. Even so, I can’t tell you the number of times we’ve heard things like…

“I could never give up a child.”

“How are you going to be able to send him back one day?”

“This is why I could never foster…having to send the children back home one day.”

I understand those statements. Truly I do. But, I can’t help but feel like a knife is being thrust into my heart whenever one of those comments passes my ears. And…each and every single time, the knife gets lodged deeper and deeper.

The truth of the matter is this…

In my flesh, I could never give up a child either. But, these children do not belong to us. Even if they were our biological children, they still don’t belong to us. All of our children…biological, adopted, fostered…belong to God. In essence, God has “loaned” them to us to love and care for until He calls them into the next phase of His plan…marriage, career, reunification with bio parents, etc. and one day – their eternal home.

A sweet friend was the one who recently shared that she could never foster children, because she would never be able to send them back home. At first, those words hurt…as if to say, I was some kind of a monster for being able to do such a thing. Honestly, it pains me more to think that these children may have to go back into some of those environments. But, imagine if everybody felt the way my friend did. What would happen to the children that can no longer remain in their biological homes (at least, for now)? Where would these children go then? An orphanage? Or perhaps remain in those often dangerous and dire home situations a little longer while the state seeks placement? I shudder to think of the alternatives.

Foster parents are drastically needed right now. I know fostering is not for everybody, and God doesn’t call everyone to foster. But, if God has been tugging at your heart to do this, I plead with you to be obedient to that calling. No matter how hard this might be, He will equip you to fulfill His calling! And, if you know this is an area He hasn’t called you to and never will…would you commit to pray for those on the front lines…those who have opened their doors to accept these fragile and often brokenhearted children? Your prayers make more of a difference than you may ever know in this lifetime.

An Adoption Update!

Through Foster Parenting Eyes