Prayer and Prepare

Hello Everyone!

Thanks so much for continuing to encourage us on our adoption journey.

We have reached a critical point in the process where we now have to protect the information we share. For that reason, we won't be able to blog about our progress until the babies are home. But, you better believe that as soon as they are home and safe we will be adding lots of pictures!

If you want to continue to know where we are in the process, let me know your email address and I will add you to our mailing list. My email is m.wilks613@gmail.com. We will try to send out consistent updates.

We will still continue to update about other things going on in life. In the meantime, here are some pictures we have taken in the room set up for the little ones. Enjoy!

Crossroads of America Adoption Conference

Last weekend, we traveled through Missouri, Illinois, and part of Indiana, and landed in Indianapolis for the Crossroads of America Adoption Conference.

While there, we went through several training courses, and attended a live auction and dinner for The Fatherless Foundation.

We were also challenged especially by one of the keynote speakers, Carolyn Twietmeyer, who founded Project Hopeful.

We also had a little time to check out some of the Indy sites, like Lucas Oil Stadium and Indy Raceway. We had a great weekend. Here are a few photos:

Slow and Steady: September Progress

Well we haven’t written anything in a while…..because we’ve been filling so many t-shirt orders! Thanks to everyone who has helped out so far. We really appreciate it. We still have shirts of all sizes ($15 in Mo/$18 outside states), so feel free to email Bryce at brycew613@gmail.com if you are interested.

Well, things are progressing and moving slowly all at the same time. We have completed our part of the home study and several other documents, and now we are waiting on that part of the process to be completed.

In the meantime, we are getting as much education as possible! We will be starting the education courses offered by our placing agency soon, and attending the Crossroads of America Adoption Conference in late September.

Last weekend, we got to spend some time with our great friends in Texas (the Smith’s) and attend the Lake Pointe Church Adoption Conference with them. We had a great time and were impacted by some challenging breakout sessions.

Our biggest takeaway was probably from Dr. Karen Purvis of TCU. She delivered the keynote speech, and her passion and knowledge overflowed during her time. We also attended her afternoon session, so we were able to hear her speak for about two hours overall.

It was a time of reflection too, because it was a year ago at the Lake Point conference that we really started pressing into what it would take to start the process. It was interesting to think about all that we have learned in the past year, and how much has changed.

So it’s looking to be a very active fall on many fronts. As we consider our own adoption process, Nov. 6 will mark a day of focus across the globe. “Orphan Sunday” is an initiative that began several years ago and has grown and spread across the globe. It’s a time for awareness, teaching and most importantly, committing to action! Thanks again for your support!

Pictures as Promised

After a couple of weeks in Missouri, we are finally starting to settle in. Boxes are unpacked, pictures are on the walls, and we are back to work. It has been an adjustment, but we are confident that we are where we are supposed to be.

We bought a house built in 1900 that had been recently updated, except the kitchen. So, after a month of HARD LABOR, the project is complete.

Here are the before pictures of the kitchen. It had a grey tiled counter-top (with matching floor tiles), yellowish stained cabinets, and a ceiling fan as the only source of light.

Some during pictures...Bryce and my parents worked basically every night after work and weekends. They ripped up the old floor, leveled the floor, and laid a new floor. Tore up the counter-tops. Installed french doors and a track lighting system. Repainted all of the trim white. Had granite counter-tops and a marble back-splash installed. AND, refinished the cabinet doors with new pulls and hinges.

Finally, the after pictures. :)

Hasta luego Tejas!

Yep that's right!

If you haven't heard by now....we are saying goodbye to the Lonestar state. We've heard lots of "you weren't born in Texas, so you got here as quick as you could" jokes over the years. All kidding aside, we really enjoyed our time in TX.

We both went to college there, had our first real jobs, our first home together, got our first dog, and had so many other great experiences. We had the opportunity to attend great concerts, rodeo weekends, sporting events and social events that we just would have missed out on otherwise. It has really been a great place to spend our "18-25" years.

Most importantly, we will miss our great friends. But we have also been missing our family and friends back in Missouri, and ultimately decided that it was a good time to get closer to them.

Bryce has accepted a job with Duck Creek Technologies in Bolivar MO. Maryl will be switching hospitals, but will keep delivering babies for a living! In the next few weeks we will be packing up and headed to MO to start another chapter.

And we bought a house! A 110-year-old house at that. We loved the style of the house the first time we toured it. The house has undergone many renovations, but the kitchen needs a little help. In the next few weeks we will post some before, during, and after pics of the kitchen massacre. Be watching for those!

We are so excited for this next phase! But, we will miss our TX friends, church, and work very much!

Italy Mugging - and We're Not Talking Coffee

Whewww!!! As many of you know, we just got back from a 2 week trip to Italy. We had an amazing time. It was good to get away for awhile and spend some time with Bryce.

Naples:

We flew into Naples and spent two days touring Naples and Pompeii. I really enjoyed seeing the ruins from Pompeii. We also were able to see one of the most intricate sculptures I have ever seen- the Veiled Christ at Sansavero Chapel. Beautiful!

Rome:

We then spent 3 days in Rome. Stayed at the Hotel Beldes, which I would highly recommend for anyone needing a place to stay in Rome. The first day we saw the Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, Piazza Venzia, outside of the Colosseum and Roman Forum, and every

thing in between. The Pantheon was a trip favorite. Amazing architecture. The second day we went to the Vatican and saw the Pope speak. Pretty impressive! We also were able to see the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica and Square. The Sistine Chapel ceiling was probably our favorite art work. That afternoon we toured the inside of the Colosseum. Very cool feeling to stand in a place where people have been for so many years. The third day in Rome was the best day as a whole. We got to take a six hour bike tour through the Roman countryside. Saw the catacombs (tombs) of the martyrs, the old roads leading to the city, and the aqueducts. Aqueducts=awesome!! That night we got to cross over the river into the Trastevere area and have dinner.

Florence:

We loved our Hotel in Florence because we had a HUGE balcony with a great view of the Duomo. First day we saw Santa Croce church, Ponte Vechio, and wandered through the leather markets. Florence was a very friendly town and most locals spoke at least some English. The

morning of the second day we toured the Uffizi gallery, climbed to the top of the Duomo, and did some more shopping!! Third day we took a Renaissance walk, wandered through the David sculpture galleries, climbed to the Michaelangelo plaza, and toured more churches! Oh, and the Gelato was the best in Florence- Panna Cotta please!

Venice:

I had heard many people say that Venice was dirty and smelled bad. We didn't experience either. The weather was beautiful. We took a boat tour through the city the first day. The second we came up with our own walking tour to see all of the churches on the map- and it took ALL DAY! We also saw St. Marks Basilica, Bridge of sighs, and Rialto bridge. Did not pay the $100 for a gondola ride...but did see plenty of other people get suckered.

Milan:

Skipping this for now

Torino:

Very friendly city! Beautiful views of the mountains. AND chocolate! We purchased a Chocopass which allowed us to stop into 10 different chocolate shops and get samples of their best work. No trip to Torino is complete without trying a Bicerin! Its a combination of dark coffee, hot chocolate, and cream. We would definitely recommend Torino to anyone.

Ok...so Milan. Basically the only think to see in Milan is the Duomo and an old castle. Other than that if you don't have money to shop....DON'T GO!!! We spent three days in Milan and could have seen everything we wanted in an afternoon. PLUS....you will notice there aren't pictures posted anywhere with us in them. That would be because we got mugged!!!! Yep, walking to dinner three guys decided they would jump the Americans. They took Bryce's ring, 40 bucks, and our camera. We are convinced that they thought we would have iphones because they kept yelling PHONES at us. It was difficult to deal with losing the pictures and ring, but we are SO thankful that we were able to get away without losing more or being seriously hurt. We know that God knew the situation we would be in ahead of time and guided us through it all. Just a plug for safety....stay where all the other tourists are!

So we are back! We had a wonderful time (minus about 2hrs). Very glad to be back in the US!!

Making Our Case

A few weeks have gone by, and not surprisingly we have had the opportunity to have more and more conversations about adoption.

Through these conversations, something has been consistently on the minds of those who talk to us: Why are we hoping to adopt an international child?

We hadn’t really examined this issue very thoroughly since we had envisioned international adoption in the first place. But what seems normal to us could certainly confuse others, especially since there are so many American kids in “the system” that need good homes and parents.

We want to be clear about two things:

1. Race does not change our theology of adoption. We believe that it breaks God’s heart when children are fatherless; regardless of what society those children happen to live in.

2. The best case scenario in a perfect world would be for all kids to be raised by capable birth parents. When it doesn’t happen, there are challenging losses that will have to be dealt with by adoptive parents.

In light of those two statements, we have to realize that situations are not ideal, or even tolerable in many cases, so what should our response be?

One of the contributing factors in our decision to adopt internationally is simply sheer numbers. You could fill up many of America’s largest cities with African orphans. Different sources report varying numbers, but the true number is somewhere in the tens of millions. The same could be said for Asia, Latin America, and parts of Europe. There are simply more children available, and less of a likelihood that biological families will ever be willing or able to care for them.

Secondly, there is a huge gap in the circumstances that generally face orphans in the U.S. versus abroad. Not to say that kids here don’t face problems, but society (church, government, social institutions) generally aides healthcare, nourishment, and education for those that need it. What’s the answer for a boy with no family in Honduras: possibly the drug trade and brutal violence. What’s the fate of girls in Asia whose parents can’t care for them? Sex trafficking or slavery, many times. Now, are girls sexually abused in the States? Yes. Are there young boys without food? Absolutely. But the scope and scale of these atrocities in third world countries with corrupt governments and beyond-fragile societal structures are massive.

I think the third and final thing that leads us to international adoption is just that we feel like we have been called to it. If it were simply about charity, then sure, food and shelter can be handed out to anyone. But this is deeper than that, and our hearts are stirred towards the thought of a multicultural family. As we said in earlier posts, there is a transforming work going on inside of us. If that work was leading us to become American foster parents, or dig in for an adoption process in the American court system, I’d like to think we would be willing and open to that. We certainly admire those who are walking that path.

Ultimately, our call to adoption is not “come and live in America”. Our call is “come and be part of our family”.

Articles:

Business Week Adoption Pros and Cons

Newsweek

Together for Adoption: Down Under

So, Now What?

Well....After hearing from Bryce and myself about why we have chosen to adopt, you might wonder where we are in this process.

I would call this step...research, Research, RESEARCH!!

I have spent many of my days off searching adoption agency and resource websites. A challenge that we have encountered is satisfying qualifications for adopting parents. Many countries require adopting parents to be 25 or older and also have marriage requirements of 3 years or longer. We don't meet either of those at this point! So, already our options are narrowed.

There are other factors such as age, gender, and region of the world that can narrow down options as well. With all the unknowns and choices, just getting started in the thinking process can be overwhelming. Probably the most important thing in overcoming this, as we have learned through investigations and personal testimony, is choosing an adoption agency that fits your personality. They will be the guides through the process, everything from paperwork to in country details. A great resource for anyone starting the adoption process is Loving Shepherd Ministries. They have been able to give us SO much information about agency reputations and complaints/problems they have had. They also have lots of information about specific country adoption programs. We even have a list of questions to ask potential adoption agencies about their programs.

Another name I would give this step in the process is "Waiting time #1". There will be several more periods in this process that require patience, and this initial "getting started" phase is probably a blessing that will prepare us for those.

We are waiting for God to reveal what country our child is in, and what agency He will use to direct us to them. We do have a phone consultation set for April 12th with an agency in Indiana. Please pray for guidance and discernment in the upcoming weeks and months.

For now, we are thinking our family could end up looking something like this.

From My Perspective (Bryce Post)

As Maryl explained below, the last several months have been instrumental in shaping how we envision the next several years. Where we may have had visions of a more carefree mid-to-late 20’s, with the “distraction” of kids coming later, our call to adoption has changed that line of thinking.

Through the process, we have started to hear and see things differently. We hear song lyrics through a different filter. We process and internalize sermons with a different bent. We read and pray differently. There is clearly a new work that has happened within us, one that fits into our greater purpose as Christians.

Romans 8, 2 Corinthians 5, Revelation 21….there are several passages that make something clear: creation has been made new (past), is in the process of being made new (present), and will be made new in coming days (future). It’s a process that God uses His spirit, His church, and ultimately His son to accomplish. This truth continues to encourage us through song, spoken word, and written word as we anticipate the coming months.

So, how does this “new work” play out through adoption?

• Most evidently, a new family for a child that needs it.
• New ways Maryl and I will need to support each other.
• New ways we will have to seek the Lord as a family.
• New great-grandkids, grandkids, nieces, and nephews for our extended family to love.
• We pray, new additions to the Lord’s kingdom as He calls our future children to Himself.

So for me, that’s primarily what this is about. Making ourselves, our resources, our home, and the network of people around us available, and seeing what the Lord will choose to do through us.

And with that said, John Piper describes the purposes of adoption through God's grace better than I ever could:

Indebted to Blog

Hello to all!! We have decided to start a blog so that we can keep all of our friends and family who are far away updated on life's events. We have shared with many of you that we feel called by God to adopt internationally. Our hope is that this can also double as a resource for anyone who desires to pursue adoption. Each step of the way we will post updates, struggles, and victories! At this point we are not experts on this topic, but as we progress through this journey we would love to help answer any questions.

So...the big question we have gotten so far is Why Adopt? and its still a very complex question to answer. For me, Maryl, its a two part answer. One, we want to be parents! Definitely the simpler answer. We are approaching a point in our life where we want to welcome children into our home. Second, and more difficult to explain, God has placed a burden for orphans in our hearts. Bryce and I both grew up in church. We have read the New Testament books. But, recently God has opened our eyes and hearts to His call to care for orphans. Through the council of close friends, pastors, reading the book Adopted for Life by Russell Moore, and a deeper understanding of His gospel, we are convinced that for us adoption is a visual representation of God's love for His children. Being a Christian to me meant not cursing, not stealing, not lying, not having sex before marriage, not engaging in "bad things." Which I still would say are important to me. But, I always focused on what NOT to do, and I now understand that I have been leaving out what TO DO. God has called us to love the world in the way He does. Love the homeless, the orphans, the widows, the prisoners, the drug dealers, the prostitutes, the least of these. Because "all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God" Romans 3:23. AND "Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you." James 1:27 This is why we no longer have a choice about adoption. God has called us to adopt, and for us saying no would be sinning.

We are so excited to start this process. Thank you in advance to everyone for their love and support during these upcoming months!