This summer I was able to meet the Charade family after a friend of theirs gifted them a session with me. We met in Alliston at one of my favourite spots, Gibson Hill’s. Their story is a story of the journey through adoption! Rather than me trying to re-tell it, I am going to use Amanda’s words to tell their story.
The journey to our kids started in January 2014 when we first contacted the agency. It took three years to even receive the paperwork to get started. When we finally received the papers, we rushed and finished the paperwork within two weeks and sent it back. They were completely amazed that we completed it that fast! Then we had months of visits from case workers and training and then the impatient waiting began for about 6 to 8 months after our training was completed.
The whole waiting process was such an emotional roller coaster and at that time I was struggling deeply with the waiting. I was getting frustrated with the Lord and didn’t understand why we had to keep waiting and waiting. Even though, in my head I knew He had a plan and purpose, my heart was in despair wanting to get to know the child He planned for us.
I sat in the car and listened to the song a bunch more times and wept, prayed, and decided to give my heart back to the Lord concerning our adoption. I wasn’t going to fight His hands that were holding me. After feeling a peace I hadn’t felt in a while and with a renewed mindset, I went in and started my cleaning. I kid you not, 12 minutes later, I got THEE call that changed our lives.
Our case worker began to tell me that she had a sibling group of two sweet kids, and that were ages 3 and 5. She shared their names for the first time and before she could tell me anymore. I said “Yes, we want them!” I heard their names and with just experiencing the comforting touch of the Lord and feeling tremendous peace… I knew these were going to be our children. The case worker told me to tell Patrice all about them and to let her know what we wanted to do.
We were so excited that there were two of them for us to love and care for and oh my goodness, it felt amazing!! We said yes to these two precious children and our love for them grew and we hadn’t even met them yet!
Now there were still a million ups and downs from that day until they moved in several months after that phone call, but we knew the Lord chose them for us and us for them. We are just so happy that it’s all official and we can continue serving the Lord as a family of four!
This is just a small glimpse of what God did for us. The entire process the Lord guided and took care of everything even when I grew so impatient and struggled with understanding. In every aspect of the adoption, even giving us a Christian worker, we could see the Lord’s hand in it all. He was and continues to be by our side through our journey of life together and we are extremely grateful that we get to serve and be loved by an amazing God!!!
Love,
The Charades
Thank you Amanda and Patrice for sharing your story with me and with all the readers here! Your story of faithfulness and patience in waiting is such a testament to the goodness of God!
If you are interested in telling your story and would like to spend sometime making some visual memories, I would love to meet you and hear more! Please feel free to send me a message here on my website.
