So heres what you've missed...

Their is SO much to tell! I think i'll try and make it short and perhaps another time elaborate on certain things.
In a nut shell:

•  Ferrill & I made the final decision to adopt (narrowed it down to the agency) and submitted our application in June 2011.

• July we were accepted.

• July-Oct we started and finished all our needed paper work and began fundraising and letting people know.(This part consisted of hundreds of newsletter,background checks,fingerprinting,multiple doctors visits,a home study which goes over all your financials,your personal life and intentions,health insurance,life insurance,and creating a "profile" like a biography book for the agency to show to potential birth-mothers. WEW just thinking about all that is crazy. All this was the most intimidating part. The unknown of what to do and the at times, annoyance of it all.But I will say it eliminates those that are unsure or unwilling to do the work and the waiting that is required to have such a privilege.Personally the hardest part for me was creating the profile.The agency was super anxious to show us right away that they wanted it within 2 days.2days!!!!! and if you know me at all you know how unfamiliar I am with technology so blogging in itself is a total miracle!

• Oct we were being shown to birthmothers.
• Dec 21 we were matched

What Does Matched mean?

Well, when a birth-mother contacts the agency she does a lot of counseling about her life,her choices and what her options are now that shes pregnant.Once she has made up her mind to adopt and is ready they will show her multiple profiles of couples that are waiting to adopt (this varies from what she wants and what the couple is willing to do.Example: ferrill and I were open to ANY race or gender of baby but our budget was less than most ( $30,000) so whomever decides to place their baby with us would have to be comfortable with their child being raised by a younger white couple with no kids. lol Some woman want the parents to already have children or to place their baby with the same race.Also you may desire an open,semi-open,or closed adoption.that has to be agreed upon as well)

This process can and does take time.The more specific the longer it takes.The more open,the more you can be "shown" and the sooner you can adopt.Once you are matched HALF of the entire expense (attorneys fees,birthmother expenses, agency fees etc) are due within 2 days. And the remainder is payed after labor/delivery and the paper work is done by a social worker at the hospital.Our adoption, not including the paperwork,appointments, and fees just to get to this point will cost us $23,000.And no... we do not conveniently have $23,000,and i don know anyone who does. ok, I know just a few people.

The day we were matched we were able to go to the agency and meet this momma.It was amazing! If you got a newsletter I told in more detail what that experience was like and how peaceful it all was.(deep sigh) their is SOOOOO much more that Im not even sharing.So much excitment,joy and peace.Somedays like today I just sit and mull all thats happened over and I could and do,daydream for hours at all the details of what God is doing. It doesnt seem possible that God would care so much,to do so much.My heart is growing.(oh gosh i need a tea break.so much to still say.So much i want you to know)

Im back-So currently we are waiting for our next meeting which will be to determine when baby is due and what baby will be!!!!!! Eeeeeeeeeek! wow this is the first time im writing that. wow. Im not typically a crier but im pretty sure when we go to that sonogram,which should be in the next few weeks, I will probably cry.. and laugh a little.I can be a nervous laugh-er

So what do you want to know more of? What made our hearts open to any race? any gender? how do you begin to fathom covering the expense? What will happen if it falls through?  Each of these real questions have an incredible and encouraging story behind them.Its just a matter of which do I tell first.

Thank you for stopping by today.I know it was a lot to read, but it felt really great to finally tell it.

Why Blog Now?

 Ive been meaning to write about this for a while now and just havent. And in the world of adoption anything could happen at anytime good or bad.I suppose its this way with all things really.

Ive wanted to blog not because we really need one more person out their talking,but more because maybe I can shed some light on a few things and ultimately encourage someone to not be intimidated by the pursuit and success of adoption. It is work, but no more than an actual pregnancy is how ive viewed it along the way.

Im also writing this because we have such a large number of people interested in whats happening,and to be totally honest somedays its exhausting emotionally. My husband and I are youth pastors of a good size church in Florida. Everyone is SO excited and they have invested a lot into us as well as into this adoption.But as things are getting more and more exciting i find myself at times getting pounded by an ocean of questions (Does that happen when you're pregnant? When? What? How was your appointment?When is your next appointment? Are you ready?) Im not used to this.

 I really had to spend a great deal of time the other day thinking this through. I want to blog because I enjoy writing,but also because as things progress along it would be better for me I think to refer people to read this for an update.Lets face it.Singing the A B C's can be sweet and fun,but if I had to sing them to half of all the people i was talking too, it wouldn't take long for those A B C's to loose some joy it had in the beginning. And as of recently I find myself so busy needing to inform others of whats happening than being able to really take my time and embrace this in my own way. I hope this will help me with that balance.
I want to document and record things as they are happening and look back at my words and emotion and remember.We are constantly drawing on the memories of Gods faithfulness. And I guess the way I see it is,it took a lot of trust to start this adoption and currently be to where we are now.So when this is all over (or just beginning) and I hold this baby in my arms what will I remember or draw from all weve gone through,that will be needed for what lays in store next?

How it all began.

Many things can lead a person to salvation.
This is what did it for me.The Lord provoked me with the thoughts of adventure in this life.
Sure you don't have to be saved to have adventures, but what God challenges and encourages a person to go on an adventure in the pursuit of love? Who makes the way and provides for it? Who promises to never leave you and will give you perfect leadership as you go?   Now that was an offer too good to pass up.And he has exceeded in every way all those promises.This is my current adventure.An adoption.

July2011, I was backing out of my driveway feeling very alive that day. I turned on my radio to set a beat to my day and my joyful heart, when I heard a commercial encouraging more people to consider fostering and/or adopting children. Without thinking twice I quickly said a prayer that the Lord would challenge the heart of his people to adopt and foster.Little did I know that his response to this prayer would change my life.

"Sharon, you shouldn't ask me to do for others something that YOU are fully capable of doing yourself."

I braked. and I thought." Umm Lord Im 25" I said,which up until recently id thought was still very young.Then when I told this story to a woman in her 60's she leaned in and said to me "well you know, 25 isn't THAT young sweetheart" moving on-" Lord Im too young to take on parenting let alone to think about what a person actually has to go through to adopt!" But for the rest of that day,and throughout that year his words would rattle around through my mind,echoing that I,Sharon Gallaway was FULLY CAPABLE in the eyes of the Lord to adopt.