The Best B-Day Ever!

I turned 30 years old on February 3, 2006. Yes, yes, I know--that's so young in the scheme of things. But I was feeling rather old until late evening on February 2nd when my dear husband (Eric) announced that he was ready to add to our family once again through adoption!

You see, I had been praying for 2 solid years that my husband's heart would open to more children. And for a while there it didn't seem likely. But our God is an amazing God, and He is always faithful! Eric shared with me that not only could we adopt 1 child, but he was "open" to identifying a second child in the orphanage when we traveled for the first. In my WILDEST dreams Eric never okayed 2 children! So as you can see, not only was his announcement the BEST B-day present EVER, but it was also such an amazing answer to my prayers.

Where? We believe our child(ren) are in Liberia, West Africa. The Lord laid Africa on my heart several years ago, but it was only in the past 2 years that I began to open to adoption from Africa, and only in the last 8 months that my heart fell in love with Liberia.

Why Liberia? The easiest way to answer this question is simply to state that it's where the Lord has led us! But I know you want more details than that. :) Liberia is a country that has been ripped apart by war since 1989. "Ripped apart by war" and "war torn" are terms we have grown accustomed to hearing in America, but Liberia truly has been ripped apart. Before the war Liberia was seen as a "model" African country. All of the modern/western conveniences...thriving economy....education...the works! Now, Liberia is in shambles. The only electricity in the country is in the capital city of Monrovia, and that is by generator. Plumbing is not available in most places. 90% of the country is unemployed. The live expectancy is under 40 years. Half of all children die before they are 5 years old (1/3 don't make it to their first birthday). Adoption from Liberia is more than just a way to add children to your family--it's also (quite literally) saving a child's life.

Who? Stay tuned for more info! We hope to adopt an infant under 8 months, and possibly another child of the opposite gender in the 2-4 year old range. We are letting the Lord decide if we "get" a by or a girl infant! Taevy (our 5 year old from Cambodia) is SURE it's a girl, and Samren (our 4 year old from Vietnam) is SURE it's a boy! In the end, as long as "it" is a child that we can love we will be blessed!