The Beginning...

Precious Connor

Sunday August 8, God spoke! It was a typical Sunday morning at church. We had gone to the early service and then to Sunday School. We had been searching for a church to call home for some time now, and we knew First Baptist Midland was our home! We were doing prayer request in Sunday School when Shane Stokes ( teacher) asked for a special prayer request. They had met a family from Midland who was in the process of adopting two children with Down Syndrome. This couple had given Shane and Kim the website "Reece's Rainbow" which is a Down Syndrome adoption ministry. Kim viewed this website many times and Connor just spoke to her. She began praying for him in March of 2010. She originally hoped her and Shane could add Connor to their three children. After many prayers Kim and Shane knew their home was not part of God's plan for this precious child. Shane began to tell a short version of Connor's story to our Sunday School class. Shane began with the fact that Connor's life is in jeopardy because of his age he is at risk of being placed in an institution. Once he is in an institution he is not able to be adopted. God spoke to me and Matt at that very moment. We continued to listen as our hearts opened up for this sweet child of God's. After Sunday School we both wanted to know more about Connor. That afternoon we spent hours reading about Connor and inquiring more about his situation in Eastern Europe. Connor is a four year old boy with Down Syndrome. He was born a twin. His mom took the "healthy" twin home and took Connor to the orphanage. Throughout the week we continued to pray for Connor and God continued to work in our hearts. Matt and I kept thinking "Wow God could this really be OUR son someday??"

Some background information on Matt and I:

Matt was adopted at birth. I spent time while at Baylor in Romania working in orphanages. My first experience was in a special needs quadrant of an orphanage. Because of these events in our lives we have always had the desire to adopt in the future. International adoption has been on our hearts for the last few years. We moved to Midland a little over a year ago. Matt's previous jobs would not have allowed him to travel overseas due to lack of days off and vacation time. Matt was hired as the pilot for a wonderful family oriented company this past January. With his new job his has set vacation time and getting off for overseas travel would not be a problem...Hmmmm a God thing?? I have always had a passion for Special Education and have had a career in Special Education for the last seven years. I have not worked with many Down Syndrome children, but our new Sunday School teachers, Shane and Kim, have a precious 6 year old boy with Down Syndrome...Hmmm another God thing??

Mine and Matt's prayers have been that God would continue to guide us in the direction he wants us to go in regards to Connor and the adoption. Matt and I have agreed to continue walking through the doors God continues to open...and the doors continue to open. We have the first stage of paper work in and have been approved for adoption through Hand in Hand Adoption Agency. It typically takes months to get a Home Study set up and completed. The Home Study is when a Social Worker comes into the home and evaluates the home life, the parents and so forth and gives the thumbs up to the United States and the adoption country. Ours is scheduled next Sunday September 12th!!!!!!!!!!!

The fundraising had begun! It will take a total of $35,000 to bring Connor home! A week ago from yesterday our Sunday School teachers daughters wanted to have a lemonade stand to help raise money to bring Connor home! They raised $378.00! Kara Bryant, a professional photographer, is hosting a day of mini sessions, September 18th, and all the profits made will go toward the adoption fund for Connor! We currently have $5,400 in our adoption fund! God is providing! We are so excited to see what God is going to do through this path He is paving for our family!