Out of the blue...'the Call' !

Wow.What a summer! It's been months since I've had a post - because we have utterly been in a complete scramble all summer...Last I remember, we hosted a fantastic On-Farm Dinner in late June...after that.things became a blur. Spring and summer monsoons and sudden drought threw us several curve balls with the field crops. In August I started a new post as a Pastry Chef at Free State Brewery -- AND school at the Community College Culinary program! Just when things have felt pushed to the limit, suddenly out of the blue....

...we finally got "The CALL"! ...We've been chosen by a birth mother to adopt her baby! A young woman in rural Kansas, named Mandy. The heavy summer rains dampened our spirits and the long summer drought dried up our hope, enthusiasm and courage to persevere - but it looks like there is light at the end of this dark canyon trail...if we can only find the strength to make the trek.

Our major challenge now is that in order to accept this offer we must cough up an insurmountable sum of money that was essentially 'washed away' in the rains of last spring's bust ....and we don't have much time.

As much as we are hoping to welcome this soon-to-be-child into our family -- we are again seeking the caring assistance of friends and families that truly have a heart for children.  Adoption costs are a huge undertaking for any family.... This is a complete leap of faith on our behalf because we've been led to this path... (as much as I still long to birth my own baby too)....in many ways this adoption feels larger than 'us' . It truly takes a village -- and is an opportunity to help provide one very special child with a secure home and loving family.

If you are moved to make a difference in the life of a newborn and a brave yet, frightened young woman we would appreciate any financial assistance you can muster (it's really fine if you cannot). Will you also please consider sharing this post with your closest, most trusted circle of concern? Tell them we've been on a 15 year trek trying to build a family, made huge sacrifices, ...endured many blisters, bruises, and sore backs along the way...and cannot let this child slip out of reach! Follow the links to Helping Hands Ministry on the sidebar to make a donation. (If anyone is willing to take out a low interest lien against my dogs, please talk to us! They are great guard dogs, sing and howl great tunes, chase deer , etc.  Unfortunately banks do not offer small-child loans ...).

We will be eternally indebted to you for your generosity in helping us! This child (and birth mother) will never begin to know or imagine all the kind-hearted people surrounding them with such loving support, thoughts and prayers. By the way --  the due date is February 16th -- but I imagine the baby very well-might-could arrive February 14th...given all the loving hearts that already surround them. 

THANK You for reading. Thank you for your love, your care, concern and contributions to help bring this child a home! Sweet blessings be upon your life.

Stirring Hearts

Well....the last month has flown by thanks to our busy season selling flowers! Thankfully we've been too busy to be preoccupied thinking about our adoption profile.

However, after this long rainy spell I decided to check up on the web postings to see if anyone had bothered to even look at our profiles since mid-April. Indeed! over 60 views the last two weeks of April and over 60 already for the month of May. We are quite encouraged! Granted some of those "hits" are from other adoptive parents like us...getting ideas, learning what others say, etc.

Our contact at ANLC assured us these are great numbers for so early into our presentation. AND -- Furthermore, she said they had actually SENT OUT our profiles to 2 inquiring birth mothers in April, and 1 so far in May. Woo hoo!!!

It could still be weeks or months before we hear anything...IF either of those women even decide to choose us. We can only imagine all the choices she must make, and the paperwork she must go through...(Whoever you are, please know we are praying for your clarity and peace in your decision-making). It is exciting to know there has already been some serious interest to specifically inquire about our profile! Thank you, Lord!

For now, we are simply praying and rejoicing in God to stir the heart of the birth mother carrying the child He has for us. Our hearts are stirring for her, that's for sure!

Live wire

We've finally got a live wire on the websites that will make our profile available to any birth mothers or birth parents!

Adoption Network has three websites targeting various age groups...their home website www{dot}adoptionnetwork{dot}com, www{dot}courageouschoice {dot}com, and www{dot} adoptionspacebook{dot}com. They each have nationwide databases, to enable the widest possible search capabilities. So please pass along the news to friends, families & acquaintances. Now the search really begins!

If we had our choice - an ideal situation may be helping a health-conscious woman who is on a career track studying some type of life sciences, (i.e., a Veterinary student or biomedical student)....a woman in the difficult position of finding she is unexpectantly pregnant in the midst of her studies yet is simply unable to raise her child. No matter what her situation, she would love the chance to provide her child with a healthy place to grow up - an organic farm with two-loving parents living and working at home.

Ultimately we know it is in God's hands...so we are praying God leads & directs the 'right' woman our way. Thanks for spreading the news!

The search begins

What a long winter.
Hooray that Spring is here! After a seemingly endless pile of paperwork, we've finally submitted everything the agency needs to establish our public profile. Every last photo...every thoughtfully considered letter. Not an easy task given the other major work of our seasonal planting push! But any day now birthmothers will be able to find us 'on-line' or through other networks and channels.

Referrals are welcome...if anyone knows of any women in a difficult place.

We are eager to see who finds us first and jumps at the chance for their child to be raised on an organic farm. Should be an interesting spring. Fortunately we'll be too busy to worry about it!

Ready, set, go!

Thank you for checking out our blog!

Looks like we're nearly ready to launch our application by 1 February, thanks to so many of you who have generously supported our initial fund-raising efforts!
See the links on the sidebar - to learn more about the other organizations helping us bring our baby home. We're eager to get our applications sent off 
to the agency, so they can help us begin the search for our birthparents.

They have been quite encouraging to us, since they think our situation offers an unusual opportunity for a child to be raised on a family-farm with two parents at home. Just imagine the happy little toes running through the fresh spring grass.

Then we just need to find the right b.parents who will be as excited about that as we are!


Please pray all the application pieces and funding pieces all fall into place as we prepare to send them off in the next week. 


Then as we prepare our profile and wait...pray the other funding pieces for the next half of fees falls into place as well.


We are fortunate to see various new contracts arrive at our 'doorstep' to venture back into commercial vegetables...so perhaps the harvest will be abundant enough to cover those fees. As long as the timing is just right.