What a year!

Wow. Has it really been a year already?! It just doesn't even seem possible and what a year it's been! On February 21, 2014 my phone rang and everything changed. Timothy was on his way and I went into crazy mode packing, making phone calls, praying, and trying to calm my heart. After a few days in the hospital, 2 weeks in a hotel, a visit from my parents, a visit from my grandparents, and reuniting with Josiah we finally got to head home. 3 days later we loaded up again as a family of 4 for a family wedding where we hot to introduce Timothy to everyone!! He was quite a trooper. Fantastic traveler and great infant sleeper. Over the course of the following 12 months our family made some HUGE changes. We had 2 post placement visits with our agency. Andy made the decision to go into full time minstry. A few months later this came to fruition with the offer of a pastor position at his home church, Graceway, in Kansas City. So we put our house on the market, accepted an offer soon after, packed up and moved to Kansas City. We temporarily stayed with both of our parents during this time as we went back and forth finalizing the sale of our home, moved into our new house, started a small group, started a leadership group (both of which meet in our home), and tried to settle in to our new normal. Not quite 3 weeks after we moved in we needed to update our homestudy and have another post placement check in, which included a visit from our social worker,  more money, and making sure our house was ready/safe. We also did an interview with a local news station focusing on adoption and the cost involved. They were so kind to talk with us and share our story. Then we entered the holiday season: Thanksgiving, Christmas tree decorating, visiting Santa, tamale making...busy time! On top of the normal busyness, In December Andy took on some new responsibilities at work, making things pretty crazy for a while. After the first of the year we began gearing up for Timothy's final court date. This meant a 4th post placement visit in Springfield, more checks to the attorney, and of course, new outfits! :)

FINALLY......on February 27 when Timothy was 1 year 5 days old a judge declared his adoption final and we were OFFICIALLY his parents!!!! Oh the joy! I wish I could explain this day. That morning I literally couldn't eat I was so nervous. On the way to the courthouse my heart was beating out of my
chest. I felt like I was in labor again, reminding myself to breathe! Even though I knew Timothy was ours and everything was in place, I couldn't help but be nervous. What if we had missed a step? What if the judge wanted to see more? What if the guardian ad litem didn't approve of us? There was always this looming weight. Such a heavy weight, that I can only describe as stifling. I don't think I even realized it was there until everything was declared official. What if I had unintentionally said or done something wrong? Could my baby boy still be taken from me? Oh, how my heart and mind raced. I think I cried tears of joy and relief 3 times before we got home that day. Even writing this, my heart is racing and tears fill my eyes.

This journey of adoption is lifelong. We have an ongoing relationship with Timothy's birth parents that has been interesting to navigate this past year, and will continue to streach and grow us the rest of our lives. This experience of open adoption has taught me grace and love beyond what I knew possible.

While it is such a freeing feeling and a wonderful to have this chapter of the story closed, we are now beginning the next chapter of the next adoption book! It's time to take a deep breath and dive in again. It's time to make a new profile, a new video, and begin fervently praying for baby #3!

If you would like to be a part of our next adoption please use the link below.  Thankfully we have been able to fund the majority of this adoption already and now just need about $7,000 for legal fees and potential travel. We covet your prayers as God writes the book of our third baby. For her (I just have a feeling!), for her birth mother and father, for our boys, for our family, for our marriage, for our ministry. The emotions of adoption are deep, intense, constant and worth it.

http://www.gofundme.com/Castro-Adoption


Next blog: my new adventure to getting healthy for my family  and helping others do the same!