Loving Lila

I can not begin to express the overwhelming gratitude I have for the outpouring of love and support for our decision to bring Lila into our family. I mean really overwhelmed and so excited at the same time. We know that God is writing this story and we are excited to share with you as we go. We have had many people asking a lot of questions about Lila and this process and I want to answer a few of the most common but before I do I want to reiterate a very important point. Jon and I are not within any stretch of the imagination, perfect parents. Nor will we ever be. We are simply walking the path we feel God has called us to. If at any point any of you are seriously considering international adoption I would love to talk to you. I have found some of the kindest and most supportive people to be adoptive parents. We are still learning daily about this process but we are passionate about these children. Now to the questions: I am going to answer the three most common questions we have gotten so far.


1. What do you know about Lila?

We know a lot and not much at the same time. Lila is about 17 months old and she has been living with a foster mom since April of 2016. She was abandoned as a baby outside of a hospital. Lila's special needs are physical and not cognitive. She has a difference in the size of her limbs (one sides' limbs are shorter than the other). She can walk and say a few words. We do have pictures and videos of her but we are not allowed to make those public until much later in the process. She is precious and her face is what motivates me to move as quickly as possible.


2. When can you bring her home?

I wish I could tell you a timeframe but we really have no idea. Chinese adoptions tend to be quicker and more efficient than other international adoptions. However it can range anywhere from 6-18 months depending on the route you take. You have two options: 1. Find your child first and then do all the paperwork and waiting. 2. Do the paperwork first and then be matched with your child. We went with the first route. It wasn't the way we intended to go but here we are. The hardest part about our route is knowing she is there waiting for us and we are missing months of her life. I have a timeframe in my mind but a lot of it depends on situations beyond my control (i.e. governments).  Below is a diagram that show the steps we will have to take. We are in the home study part. So you see we really are right at the beginning.

3. What can we do to help?

The most important way all of you can be a part of this process is to pray. Pray for Lila. Pray for us. Pray for government officials. Pray for Lila's foster mom. Pray. Pray. We also need your help with funding. International adoption is not cheap. It ranges anywhere from $25,000-$35,000 due to many variables. Jon and I have been able to fund the first major steps but we will be unable to apply for grants until after our home study is complete. We have decided to appeal to our friends and family to play a major role in bringing Lila home. So many of you will play a huge role in Lila's life just has you loved on Zoey, Seth and Thad. We are fully trusting that God will provide ways for us to gain the necessary funds but we are asking for you be a part as well. Our first fundraiser is not an original idea but is one that I love so much because it allows almost everyone to be involved. I have purchased a 500 piece personalized puzzle with this image.

Each piece of the puzzle will be worth $10. We will write the name of the person who donates on the back of each puzzle piece. If you give $50 you get 5 pieces. Once the puzzle is complete we will put it in a two sided glass frame and hang it in our home. Once Lila is old enough to hear her story we can show her the names of everyone who help bring her home. She will know she is loved simply by the names and those names will become a part of her story. I have put a donate button right over here.---->
We will be doing other fundraisers and projects but this is one that even my kids can be a part of!

Thanks for reading!! We love you all and yet again so grateful for your support!