Adoption has played a major role in our lives and our family. With Jeremy being adopted, my siblings being adopted, and being blessed with our son Jackson through the miracle of adoption – it’s easy to see how expanding our family would again include adoption.
Adoption is hard and broken but at the same time it is beautiful and the most physical representation of the Father’s love that we have ever seen.
You come to a place in your faith that you realize that you want nothing more than what the Lord has planned out for you. YOUR desires and YOUR wants pale in comparison to what He has in store for you.
After walking through Jackson’s adoption, we repeatedly are thanking Him for every single no. Every single minute of waiting. Every single night spent in tears. We’ve seen what He can do. And we are so excited to see the mountains He is going to literally move again to bring home this baby.
What Brought You Together?
Jeremy: Our love for quick-witted conversation, coffee and Jesus are what sparked that initial interest to one another. The night Katie and I first met, it was literally nonstop conversation from the moment we were introduced. It was fun and easy and natural. After meeting, we became instant “friends”. You know, the kind that text all day and hang out every night. Quickly we became each other’s person. The one we shared about our day with, our struggles, our joys and endless cups of coffee.
I realized this whole friend thing wasn’t going to work. And thankfully Katie felt the same way. And here we are, about to celebrate our 5th anniversary and our son’s 2nd birthday. All the while praises the Lord for how He has already worked in bringing home Baby Chitty #2. He has been faithful since the day we first met. Faithful in our marriage. Faithful in bringing Jackson to us. And we are confidant that He will do nothing less than the extravagant favor He has already given.
Why Now?
Katie: Over the past 6 months, I have had a literal ache for another child. It was a stirring in my heart that I knew I couldn’t shake off. Jeremy and I would go back and forth about whether we had the mental, physical and emotionally energy to go through the adoption process again. We knew the risks so well now.
We felt the emotional roller coaster rising and falling in our chests. Did we have the resources? Can we really do this? And then again, just as He always does, the Lord spoke to our hearts and told us no. We didn’t have any of those things. But He did. And He would again supply everything that we needed. And that again, He would give us immeasurably more than we could ever imagine. Well, how do you argue with the One who literally created the world?
Katie
I grew up in a big family – I am the 4th of 9 children. Foster care and adoption were a huge part of my growing up as many children came through our home. It all seemed so natural to me. I think that’s the beautiful part of adoption for me now. It was knit together in my mind and soul before I ever knew anything different.
I went to college, got a degree, got a job and got myself a hottie of a husband who makes me laugh daily. Our son Jackson came into our lives through adoption in 2017 and it has been bliss ever since. Becoming a Mama has challenged and shaped me in the most beautiful way possible.
After hearing the words “zero chance of ever conceiving” I wasn’t sure if I would ever be a mom. Something that was supposed to be so natural and in my control was suddenly ripped from me. It is one thing to decide to not have children but it is a totally different reality when you aren’t the one making that decision. Jackson makes our world better than I ever could have dreamed. He is more than I even knew to pray for. Because of him I am a better woman, wife, friend, sister and human.
Jeremy
The Lord wove the story of adoption into my life long before Katie and I pursued this journey. After my parents tried unsuccessfully for 5 years to have a child, the Lord led them to me through adoption. My parents adopted me at birth and they are more than I could ever ask for in parents. Five years after I was brought home, my parents proved all the doctors wrong and my mom gave birth to my brother, Joey. And over the course of a few more years my sisters, Mollie and Rebekah, made their debuts.
I wasn’t aware at the time but my birth along with the miracles of my siblings was shaping in me a trust in the Lord and His timing that I would cling to as Katie and I struggled with infertility and desiring children.
Bringing Jackson home was miracle that I will never feel deserving of but will forever be grateful for. Jackson has brought a joy and a love in to my life that I didn’t even know I was missing. Having that little man in my life has made me want to be the best man that I can be.
Thank. You.
Where to start?
How to begin?
Our heads are literally spinning at this moment.
To say the past month has been an absolute whirlwind would be an understatement. A gross one.
Short and to the point. Last month we were informed that our son’s Birth Mom was expecting again. And that she was 7 months along. And had made the decision to place her sweet baby for adoption. Standing in my kitchen, my knees hit the floor.
Within minutes I was calling our amazing Consultant and the adoption agency.
“We are 1,000% in! No, I haven’t even read the details! Please. We are in!”
…
Weeks pass with super highs and deep lows. Paperwork upon paperwork.
RUSH! HURRY! QUICK! TODAY!
(crickets for days)
RUSH! HURRY! QUICK! TODAY!
(crickets)
…
Last week I (Katie) told Jeremy I didn’t know what else to pray. I didn’t know what else to do. We were told we had done everything we could and we needed to pray. So that’s what we did.
Daily prayers. Silent ones. Loud begging ones. Arms thrown up in the air. And faces planted on the carpet.
…
Then Thursday came.
And the phone call that changed it all.
“We’ll get the paperwork sent over as soon as we can!”
And in that moment, we were matched with a Baby Girl due in September. Our son’s biological sister.
We were so excited but also so nervous and still in shock. One phone call had taken every moment of the past month – the past year – and answered our why.
Why was nothing working out? Why were we so unsettled on situations? Why had there been those not yets?
…
And now we are here. Praying for this Mama. Praying for this baby. Praying for every single moment that is to come.
…
Since Baby Girl is due anytime in the next 6 weeks (Jackson was born 7 weeks early!) we need to get the payments in FULL to the agency ASAP.
As in a week.
Between agency fees, attorneys, travel (during a crazy pandemic!), fees everywhere and possible NICU stay – we are looking at $52,000.
And while we are FULLY aware that number is INSANE + mind blowing, in the past 24 hours we have seen the Lord swoop in and provide like only He can do.
In the past 24 hours, we have seen family + friends + acquaintances + old high school buddies + complete strangers RALLY like only our God can orchestrate. Currently we have close to $30,000 raised. Yesterday we had $15,000 total from a year of fundraising. And in ONE DAY that was doubled.
…
So tonight we are sitting in humbled silence and complete awe as we watch the mountain being thrown into the sea right before our very eyes.
‘Thank You’ never seems enough. But tonight it will have to do.
Thank you for loving our family beyond all comprehension.
Thank you for giving above and beyond what we could have imagined.
Thank you.
Adoption During An Epidemic?
The two questions we are answering lately are:
Adoption Shirts Are Here!
our first fundraiser is off to a great start!
Visit https://www.bonfire.com/chittyfamilyadoption/ to snag a -MOUNTAIN MOVER- shirt today!
Our Story.
How did we come to adoption?
Check out this video Adopt A Love Story did to help us share our story…
Looking back now, we can see the Lord’s hand in every detail. Every tear. Every closed door.
While the road to our children has not been easy, we would walk through the valley a million times again to be with them.
We Are…
…HOME STUDY APPROVED!
Woohoo!
Y’all, this is what we’ve been waiting for!
What does this mean?! What does this mean?!
This means we are one step closer to bringing home Baby Chitty!
All the paperwork was submitted, medical exams for everyone completed, reference letters and interviews DONE + SIGNED + PAID and then more paperwork submitted!
Now we are officially an active family, meaning we will start receiving possible matches from our consultants and will have the ability to be matched with an expectant mother at any time now!
(insert pause for a quick moment to catch our breaths…)
We are so excited and cannot wait to see how the Lord is going to navigate these next steps.
How can you support us?
- PRAYER. First & foremost we need your continued prayers. Prayers for wisdom and discernment. Prayers for the expectant family. Prayers for favor & grace.
- SUPPORT. We are in the beginning stages of our first 2 fundraisers and will keep everyone posted about those – be on the lookout for our Instagram Auction & AMAZING Shirts!
We are so thankful for every single text, note, email and quick word as we pass in the hallways at church. While we do have the cutest (almost)2 year old distraction to keep us occupied this time around, we are still processing ALL THE FEELS that come along with this journey.
Stay tuned.
Y’all, God is on the move and GREAT things are coming – we are ready for you any time now Baby Chitty!
What’s Next?
Hello Family + Friends!
First off, it seems so surreal to be back here again in the adoption process. But goodness are we excited & anxious & all the feels!
Almost TWO weeks ago, we announced to you all that we were once again adopting…Chitty Party of Four is coming!
To be honest there was some apprehension on our part about announcing, fundraising, and even adopting again.
Could we do it? Would we be able to do it? Do we have the emotional/physical/spiritual energy to do it? So often with social media only the highlight reel gets shown. All the pretty pictures + all the victories. But man are those only a snippet of the journey. For two people who like to be in control (hence the *manager* title in both of our professions…) the adoption process knocked us down to a place of submission and humility. We were far from being in control.
But isn’t that the perfect ground for the Lord to take over, move literal mountains and do what He does best – WORK.
And boy does He work when you get the heck out of the way and let Him do what He does.
…
So that is exactly what we plan to do with this adoption. Get out of the Lord’s way and let Him work in us and through us and for us.
He has given us a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.(Isaiah 61:3)
…
So where are we in the process now?
+We have signed on with our agency once again, Christian Adoption Consultants.
+Our profile books for expectant parents to see arrived last night!
+Home Study visit was done last week & all paperwork is submitted.
Now we wait to be fully home study approved. Once this happens we will be able to start presenting to expectant families + wait for one to choose us.
…
How can you be praying?
-for the home study to be approved quickly and favorably.
-for the fundraisers we have planned (coming soon!)
-for the expectant families that will be looking at our book.
-for our hearts (especially Jackson) as we transition into a party of 4!
***so much more to come, so stay tuned***