We have had many good conversations about our plans for bringing our kids’ home.  Questions are asked…”you know there will be a lot of mouths to feed?!”  “Have you really thought through the finances of this endeavor?”  John Franklin will tell you–yes indeed we have.   

We have…but to be honest, when we started this journey, we quickly discovered that adoption costs much more than having a child naturally.  Though the cost is great—we saw so many parallels to God’s heart for us and felt nudged to proceed in faith that He would provide.  We had considered the cost of adding two children to our home but had planned to do extensive fund-raising through applications of grants, etc.  While we have applied for grants and have explored other governmental resources, the speed at which our adoption is taking place is creating a challenge in securing the resources and allowing us to be eligible for most adoption grants.


Up to this point, we have been hesitant in making a public appeal for adoption support. We have had a concern that some would see this as just another cause or special project. Or that it might place a strain on our friendship or strange pressure to give.  This story is intimate for us and I didn’t want to cheapen it by inviting people to “like” it on Facebook!

But as we’ve come closer to the reality of this adoption, my mind has changed. While I never want our kiddos to feel like they are a “cause,” I DO want them to know there is a community of people who believe in them and their bright future. I want our little ones to know from day one that they are not alone. Not only will they have a family, but tons of friends, fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, encouragers, and mentors, to be with them in every step of their life journeys.  

We look forward to telling them the stories of a friend who had twin boys and was willing to pass on their clothes so that Joshua and J will be clothed for years to come!  Or of  mattresses shared by friends who were moving or had a spare in their attic.  Or of strong men that came to our house and in what felt a little like extreme home make-over, moved beds to different rooms so that the kiddos would have the perfect place to sleep at night.  I look forward to sharing the stories of those in our “tribe” who have prayed for them before we knew their names.  And I look forward to sharing about the dozens or even hundreds of friends who were willing to sacrifice some of their own resources to bring our little boy and girl home.   

We want our all of our children to know that life is best lived in loving community and relationship.  I can’t think of a better way to model this for them than by including friends and family to join us on our journey–to get a better glimpse of the body of Christ in action. 



May You Be a Blessing and May You Be Blessed!

Jenni and Chris