Fresh Hope For A New Beginning

It has been three weeks now since Samuel died.  It has been a long three weeks and we have learned a lot about ourselves and our amazing family and friends.  We have spent A LOT of time praying and pondering and discussing how we want to move forward from here.  We were not planning on adopting from Liberia.  Two months ago it was a completely foreign idea to us, but now that we have had our hearts open to it, we can't NOT do this!

So that brings us to little James.  James is associated with the same orphanage Samuel was.  He is almost two years old.  About two months ago, he accidentally ingested caustic soda and destroyed his esophagus so he is not able to eat.  He has a feeding tube placed and currently receives Ensure as his nutrition.  Nate and I have decided that we want to bring this sweet little boy into our family.

So we start again with a fresh hope and excitement!  We are a little more tentative and guarded this time, but we are thanking and praising God for everything he places in our lives!

We aren't really sure what the timeframe will be on this.  We don't have to gather any paperwork, as they can use our paperwork that we had already collected for Samuel's adoption.  The process is already underway in Liberia.  So now we wait!

We feel so blessed that Samuel will always be a part of our family's story, even though it was for a very short time.  I think it is amazing that a little 14 month old boy in Africa was so loved by so many that never met him.  I know that many of you shed actual real tears of sadness over his death and that you grieved with us.  Thank you for your open hearts and your love.

So if you are ready, here is little James... another boy to fall in love with.