Only the beginning...

We did it.  

Friday night as soon as we got an email confirming we were financially approved- we pushed the button.  The "SUBMIT APPLICATION" button on our adoption application.  It's almost impossible for me to recount all the ways that God structured all of this into place.

(CT- pushing the button that will forever change our lives)

  

All this goes a lot further back but rewind with me to November 15th.  Mom wanted me to go to a craft Bazaar in High Point.  Now, I was excited about spending time with Ma, but that was about it.  I tried not to let on, but I will admit I was dragging my feet about about "shopping".  There was nothing I needed, nor wanted (except to exchange a shirt at Belk.)  As Mom perused the craftsmanship of the artistically gifted, I chatted on the cell phone to my sister in law about nonsense.  Ma and I met back up and began catching up on more of each others lives as we walked the last green mile of the bazaar.  Then I something all too familiar caught my eye.  Could it be?  Kazuri Beads?  Kazuri beads are only made in a factory in Kenya and they are made 8 minutes from our home in Kenya.  I walked over to the table and began a conversation with a lady I came to know as Dr. Jane Stephens.  She is the founder of Amani Children's Foundation who are the sole support of New Life Homes in Kenya.  (New Life is where our children will come from... yes I said children)  Jane shared with me that she had adopted 2 children herself from Kenya.  From that intended meeting God put everything else in place.... in HIS timing.  Again, not mine.  

November 26th- we met with Jane Stephens at Amani Childrens Foundation office in Winston.  Amongst the things we talked about- she shared with us about Carolina Adoption Services (C.A.S.).  We would later meet Robyn Miller- the Kenya coordinator for C.A.S. to find out that there is only one adoption service in all of America that has an agreement with both US government and Kenyas government.  Know where the headquarters are?  Greensboro, NC.  That would be 30minutes from out home in NC.  (And that's only the beginning!)  From then on, we had more meetings, more devine scenarios, and more God moments to follow.  

Guess who didn't sleep Friday night?  Neither of us really, but especially me!  I was wide eyed with my brain racing every which way.  From naming our children, wondering what they look like, what their personalities will be like, if I'll be a Godly mother, how i will implement scripture into their little heads, how to tell our families of our pregnancy on paper, how Only Servants will be effected (only positively, of course!)  You name it, I thought about it.  

One of the very first things we wanted to let eveyone know is that in NO WAY does any of the money contributed to the ministry go toward paying for our adoption.  Yes, we did sell our home, cars, and "stuff" to go into the ministry, but we knew in the back of our heads that some of that money we made from selling everything would one day go toward expanding our family.  Adopting is something we have talked about doing since we were dating (see, told you in went further back than Nov 15th).  We did want children of our own, but we KNEW even then, that God was calling us to adopt.  My mom said I used to pick out the black baby dolls in the stores to play with.  :)  (See, even the baby dolls are SO CUTE!)  Any way, if you are a supporter of Only Servants, please know that you are most certainly not contributing in ANY WAY to the adoption of the Thompson Children.  Got it?  Great.  Simple.  This is OUR family and OUR children, so WE pay.  

This blog will probably not only contain adoption info, but Team Thompson family funnies as well.  See, sometimes there are things that happen with us in Kenya that aren't exactly "ministry related" so I don't feel like I can post them on Only Servants Blog.  So they will be right HERE as the adoption process can be somewhat long and without "new news" often.  It's the game of "Hurry up and wait."  We have a few friends that are quite familiar with this game- that's how I know about it.  

(PS- I prolly won't prooph dis much cuz i do enuf proophin' on the udder blog fer bof of em'.  Thanx fur understandin'.)