A very special Thanksgiving

For Quade, Sheila, and me, Thanksgiving 2009 will always be a special Thanksgiving as we welcomed a new member to our family.

Off and on, since 2005, Sheila & I have discussed and modestly pursued the possibility of adoption. We met with Lutheran Social Services when we lived in Ohio, but came away highly discouraged. We started and put aside, often, the paperwork to start the process. We kept experiencing changes in our lives that kept putting aside us actively pursuing adoption - like the move to Lindsborg.

Last summer, we started again and met with an attorney in Topeka who specializes in adoption. We started work on the "birthmother letter" and started to find someone to conduct the Home Study. Though, to be honest, we had our doubts about ever becoming adoptive parents.

In late October, we received a phone call from a counselor who asked us if we had completed the birthmother letter and Home Study. During the course of the conversation, we learned that she was counseling a young lady who was strongly considering adoption for her unborn child. The kicker was, she was 8 months pregnant and the baby was due in mid-November. We had to move fast.

We got the letter finished, the Home Study done, and met with the young lady. Then, in early November, the mother-to-be called Sheila and asked if we would be the adoptive family. Of course, we said, "Yes."

From early November until this week, we found ourselves on an emotional roller coaster. I won't go into the detail, other than to say we were never certain until this week.

The baby was born on Monday afternoon and we were called and told to be ready to go to the hospital. But that call never came. On Tuesday morning, as I was about to leave town to drive to Overland Park, Kansas for a memorial service, the adoption counselor called and no one was certain the adoption was going to happen. The mother had possibly changed her mind.

Again, God reminded me who is in-charge and that events happen for a purpose. As I was sitting in the memorial service celebrating the life - and saying goodbye - of an individual who was very important in the Bethany College family, Sheila left me a voice mail message that we were about to welcome a new member into our family and the Bethany College family. Ironic ... I think not! God's hand, again, acting in our lives, absolutely!

That afternoon, the District Judge signed the temporary custody order (and that's another story) and in late December - hopefully - we will meet with the Judge to be granted permanent custody.

We have named the new member of the family Thomas, after Sheila's grandfather. For me, however, Thomas will always be a living reminder of the importance of staying faithful to God's will.