A Little Update to the Story God is Writing in Our Lives Part 1

We have applied with 3 different agencies just to get our profile book out there. When we were researching agencies we really liked An Open Door but they have a larger commitment fee (some agencies only have like $100 fee to apply and be "active" with them). We decided to try our other 2 agencies first and just wait on An Open Door for now. Fast forward to the first week of Janurary. We were visiting some friends and talking about the whole domestic adoption process. We were saying that we really wanted to apply with An Open Door but the large commitment fee was a big step. We have no extra money in this process and we really wanted to be wise and prayerful about each step. When we arrrived home from our friends house we had a letter in the mail stating that we had a grant from Show Hope that was a little over what the commitment fee was. I sent  a text to the friend we were just visiting and she said this was our sign from God to apply with AOD. I hadn't even thought about that. But after talking and praying, Brad and I really felt that we should send in our application and commitment fee. The ladies at An Open Door have been in excellent communication and so very helpful!! We were excited as she said that 6 birthmoms were going to be looking at profile books in January. It took about 2-3 weeks to get everything sent in and approved so I'm thinking we might have missed being shown to them. In the meantime, our agency in UT called (Wed, Jan 28th) with a situation about a baby girl due in less than 2 weeks and they couldn't find a family for her. This was an agency pick and there weren't any other families being considered at this time. There were a lot of unknowns and risks with that situation but we said we wanted to be considered. We felt good about moving forward even with the scary unknowns ahead. There was also a $10,000 extra fee because birthmom was going to deliver in a different state. Yikes! The financial part is the scary part. The caseworker had made this sound like a less than wonderful thing but we said yes anyways.
On Thursday and Friday we contacted several grants that we had applied for and hadn't heard from yet. We were contacted that a grant was going to cover $10,000!!!!!!!!!!!! What?!?!?! That was a huge surprise and a huge amount!!! Brad got the call that brought him to tears when he was at Walmart. This was another sign the we are on God's path for our lives. Our family was here for Kaleb's birthday that weekend so we got to share the good news and add a little pink to the baby's room. At the end of Kaleb's brithday party on Saturday we got a text that birthmom was struggling with her choice. We were sad but there were just so many doors that God has opened so we continued to trust. On Monday (Feb 2nd) our UT agency called and said that the birthmom was leaning toward parenting and they had some reservations with her. They asked if we wanted to wait it out or look at other situations. I felt like the agency was saying it's not going to happen but I felt like so many doors had opened from God. I mean $10,000?!?!?!?
Part 2 starts on Tuesday, Feb. 3rd.........