The Paper Work

I sat in Starbucks this morning with my mind going a millions miles a minute. "I can't believe we're doing this...I can't believe this is my life...I've dreamed of doing this since I was young but I can't believe I'm here right now." We met with our case worker for the first time today. While it sounds boring, because all we did was talk paperwork, I just can't stop smiling. This is real. We are really doing this. We're on our way to adopting a child!

Again, all we did today was get to know our case worker a bit and go over the thick stack of paper work we have to start. However, it's one step closer we are to becoming parents. I thought I may walk away feeling overwhelmed by everything we have to do...but I'm not. I'm ready. If you know me well, you know I'm a go-getter anyway. We have waited long enough and the time is here. So, let's get our paperwork started!


To Baby Shewcraft,
We're working for you. You just wait! You already have some pretty amazing people who are praying for you and giving generously so you can come home to us. You will be surrounded by LOVE, not only by Brett and I, but by your family and friends near and far. We pray for you everyday. I (your mommy) will try really, really hard to be patient as we wait for you...but you better believe we're gonna be thinking about you and filling out the paperwork as quickly as we can. I'm not sure what you look like or where you will come from, but I know that God has an amazing plan for you. For us. It may be a while from now until we meet, but we are anxiously awaiting the day. For now, we're praising God for you and for the life He will bless us with.
Love you,
Daddy & Mommy

Submit

About two weeks ago, on March 6th, we did it. We hit submit. We worked on our formal application and Statement of Faith for about a week. It was actually fun and challenging to think through our answers together. It made me stop and think about why I want to be a parent so badly. Through this long journey, I think I sometimes forgot why I wanted to be a parent because I was too consumed by the pain of why I wasn't one yet. Our Statement of Faith page had Brett and I break down our personal relationships with God, how we are learning and growing right now, and our Christian development plan for our future child. It was so surreal to sit down and write down the virtues and values that we plan to teach our child. Aside from praying and praying and praying, it's the closest we've gotten for actually planning for "our child."

Anyway, we finally completed the application process and when it time to turn it in, I became a ball of nerves. Funny how that happens! It hit me...we're actually doing this. We are one step closer to becoming parents...it feels so good. It feels surreal. It feels scary. It feels exciting! So, on March 6th, we did it. We held hands and hit submit.