Ready to Run!

Sometimes, it feels like the start gun will never fire. You know it will, but you are so focused on running the race, that you just can't wait to go! Well, that has been my point of view lately. Bethany and I were accepted by our adoption agency, Lifeline Children's Services, in November, and that opened the door for us to pursue starting our homestudy with our local Department of Human Services. The homestudy is a three month long series of interviews, visits, and education so we can be approved to be adoptive parents.

We were able to talk to the great people here, and get the paperwork in place, but it was just our luck that the holidays fell right in our path. We were told that our social worker would be calling us, but that because of the holidays, it might not be right away. Hmm, that is not what I wanted to hear! Still, I understand it, and that's just another part of the adventure. We are working on preparing our home for our child, and figuring out how to make our home into their home. Maybe we will have to wait a few more days for that phone call to come, but we wont be bored while we wait. There is so much to prepare, and so much to learn.

In coming posts, I'll talk more about what we have learned, but suffice it to say, we have learned a lot! Who knew that there was so much to know about parenting, right? God is good to us though, and takes care of our needs. We have been able to raise $3,714.00 so far, through a mix of saving and fundraisers. God will take care of us, and when we look back on this time, it wont seem like so long to wait.

Abe Kennedy
Prospective Adoptive Father

Two more days for t-shirts!

Only two more days for our t-shirt fundraiser: Anchor of Hope. 

http://chromebuffalo.com/a/cb?drive=363

Many thanks to those who have bought t-shirts already! Your t-shirts will be made and sent out when the fundraiser is complete. We have made $99 so far and I hope you can help us double that number. Talk to friends and family, and put in an order together to save on shipping.

We have a few more money raising endeavors. We are some selling Lego sets and some video games on Ebay. http://www.ebay.com/sch/Quick_silver101/m.html?_ipg=50&_sop=12&_rdc=1#item338910bfce

 
These make great gifts for kids and movie fans. Bid now and help support our adoption!

Hope is my Anchor Fundraiser

"This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast..." Heb. 6:19a

Our first adoption fundraiser starts today! We are selling t-shirts at http://chromebuffalo.com/a/cb?drive=363 The t-shirt drive lasts only ten days, so get you shirt while you can. Each shirt costs $22 and we will receive $11 for each t-shirt to go toward adoption related expenses. Our first goal is to raise $4270. Will you be able to help us reach our first financial goal?

P.S. A couple or people have asked me if they could donate to us directly. You sure can! You can donate with paypal

Or you can send a personal check to:
The Kennedys
P.O. Box 24248
Christiansted, VI 00824

The idea behind the journey

Welcome. I am Bethany and my husband is Abe. We are creating this blog to share with you about our journey. Journeys begin with a decision. Sometimes you can't see the paths that led you to a specific decision.

Really, I don't know how it all came together. I do know I have many friends who were adopted. Some friends of my parents had two adopted children from China. A roommate from college, as well as several good friends were also adopted. As a young woman I thought that it was something that I wanted to do.

I spoke to my fiancee about it in college. He thought about it and prayed about it.  The more he thought about it the more he liked the idea. We were married after finishing college. Then we went to  Graduate school. After graduation, Abe got a job as a youth pastor in St. Croix, USVI. We have been here for three years so far. After about a year living on the island I started thinking about adoption again. I signed up for Adoption newsletters, started reading articles and listening to podcasts about adoption. My advice is if you want to start caring more about orphans and adoption, start reading about it. It changes you somehow, when you start seeing their faces and hearing their stories. Not everyone can or should adopt a child, but anyone can help orphans.

This year we celebrated our five year anniversary. We started talking about growing our family. Why not start this year? Whether or not the Lord decides to bless us with a biological child in the future, the blessing of raising children is open right now. There there are an estimated 153 million orphans in the world. Could one or two of those children be ours? Maybe it will be a five year old little boy from eastern Europe with eight fingers instead of ten. Maybe it will be a four and a half year old little girl with dark curly hair and her two year old sister. 

Adoption is a long journey and it will not end when our child comes home. It will be a lifetime of learning about our child,  the struggles they experienced as an orphan, the struggles they will experience as an adopted child, and the regular struggles of growing up in our world. With faith and hope, we have already taken the first steps. Will you come with us on this journey? Whether you can join us for just a little while or a lifetime, we appreciate the company.

Love,
Abe and Bethany Kennedy