We are so excited to be adopting a child!
We are thrilled and we are doing everything we can to be prepared to welcome this new tiny life into our family.
As part of the adoption process, we have started a crowdfunding campaign. It may surprise you to hear that adoption-related costs can easily total up to $60,000 or more. This is why we set a goal of $20,000 to help ease the financial burden that often overwhelms adoptive families.
We hope you know that when you give, your money goes directly toward the betterment of this sweet life.
Some adoption related costs include: -Living expenses for the birth mother (rent, food, clothing/toiletries, transportation) -Birth Mother's Medical Expenses: -Hospital -Obstetrician -Anesthesiologist -Baby Medial Expenses -Pediatrician Adoptive Service Fees -Adoption consultant -Adoption services (agency fees) -Finalization -Travel and stay for picking up the baby -Advertising fees for adoption agency Birth mother's counseling and post- birth services
Please also join us in praying for our birth mother and father. This sacrifice is not small and we want our child's birth parents to feel loved and cared for throughout this process.
With love, The Lewis'
We are so happy to be home! Praise the Lord! We actually arrived home on Wednesday evening, but we’ve been processing and getting settled since! There’s a lot to share, so I’ll start from the beginning.
Judah was born on Friday, consent from his sweet birth mom was signed on Saturday, and then paperwork was overnighted for ICPC (Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children) and approved on Tuesday afternoon! We were told this paperwork could take up to 2 weeks to process, but in all, it took less than 22 hours. We were so excited and booked a flight for Tuesday evening to leave. On the way to the airport with Judah, we were at an intersection going straight, when a lady perpendicular to us ran a red light and slammed into the front right passenger side of our car. She hit us so hard our airbags deployed and she even ran into another car after us. Thank God we all walked out of the accident with only a couple bruises. Even Judah was completely unphased. We went and bought a new car seat and the sweet people at our Airbnb allowed us to stay another night. Where this story really gets crazy is that a sweet couple Kevin and Miriam, witnessed the entire accident, saw me run to get Judah out of the car and invited Judah and I to sit in their car and stay warm when while Josh got everything else squared away. This same couple, both complete strangers, kindly offered to drive Josh and I back to our Airbnb, picked us up in the morning to take us to the pediatrician, and also dropped us off at the airport the following day. They are incredibly kind people, and Josh and I will never forget the kindness they showed us on our trip.
We finally made it home Wednesday afternoon and Judah has been great! We are so thankful for our community who has prayed for us since the beginning of this unpredictable but rewarding journey. THANK YOU from the bottom of our hearts for your prayers, financial support, and care. We love all of you!!
Baby Judah is here, and he’s perfect!! He was born on Friday, March 3rd at 1:04pm weight 6lbs 6oz and he’s 18.5 inches long 💙 Judah’s birth mom, M, is amazing. The birth was incredible to witness and truly life changing! Judah passed all of his newborn screenings and his 24 hour labs, so we are back at the Airbnb with him now soaking in all the cuddles!
Thank you for all of the love and support! We will update once we are back home in WA. In the meantime, please pray for:
1. Judah’s birth mom. She is an incredible woman- pray for her heart and body to continue to heal. Please also pray that our relationship with her continues to grow.
2. Pray Judah continues to stay super healthy and we continue to grow a strong attachment.
3. Pray ICPC goes quickly so we can come back home to WA soon!
It's been an exciting and adventure filled week! Last Wednesday, our birth mom M, was having some crazy contractions. She thought she may possibly go into labor. This same day, Salt Lake City got hit with a crazy snow storm creating an interesting scenario. Luckily, her little boy wasn't ready to come just yet. However, we asked our consultant and case manager if we should come out early since the weather has been unpredictable and she was having a lot of Braxton Hicks contractions, and we were told yes!! So, we have been in Utah since last Friday. We have been exploring Salt Lake and doing lots of waiting, but M has hung in there and tomorrow morning she will be induced.
We had the pleasure of meeting with M, her daughter, as well as our case managers Jenna and Lisa. We went to Olive Garden for dinner. It was great finally getting to see the woman who chose us to parent her little boy. She is incredible- she's brave, strong, and super sweet.
Now Josh and I are anxiously waiting for tomorrow morning. While we do so, can you please continue to pray? Our requests are:
Pray for rest for M, also that she will continue to feel peace in her decision.
Pray for a healthy baby boy.
Pray for our anxious emotions- that while we wait, we lean on the Lord to sustain us, knowing that no matter what, He is holding this entire situation.
We will send another update once baby is here and Lord willing, officially a part of our family too.
Thank you for your care,
Kristin and Josh
Hello!! We wanted to give a life update since it's been awhile! We haven't announced anything as of late because our past disrupted adoption was just so emotionally hard. We are still feeling so vulnerable sharing again, but we feel it's time.
A few weeks ago, Josh and I matched again with a birth mom and a baby boy due March 3rd! This momma is in Utah with the agency in their care. She is receiving counseling, meets regularly with her case manager, attends her doctor appointments, and everything is looking great! Josh and I have everything booked for our stay, but it's looking like there's a good possibility we may have to travel sooner than anticipated.
Thank you so much to everyone for giving to our adoption fund. We have truly been blown away but your care and support. We're so close to our goal of $20,000, and that wouldn't be possible without you!! As we navigate the coming days and weeks, please be praying for safety while traveling to and from Utah, a smooth delivery for the birth mom, a healthy little boy, and that this would be the beginning of a wonderful new relationship with this sweet mom.
Thank you again for your continued prayers and support!
The Lewis'
Hello! It's been awhile since we last wrote, so we figured we would ask for prayer as we continue on in this adventure. As you know, the adoption we matched with back in October failed to finalize. The hardest part for Josh and I has been the lack of closure in this case. However, we know that if it was meant to be, it would have been. We also would be ignorant to try to assume that we can understand what the birth mom was, and still is going through. Please continue to pray for her heart and for her son to be in a loving home. Also, pray that he has the best chance to thrive and stay in contact with his biological family.
While we're still waiting to be matched, we're continuing to apply to cases. In fact, we recently applied to adopt a 2 year old little girl. However, God had other plans for her. We also signed with a new agency in Texas. This agency only accepts 40 families at a time, so we're hoping that we have a better chance of matching with them. Also, since we've experience a failed match with another agency, we are also at the top of their list for a "stork drop" situation- when a baby is born and is in immediate need of a family.
Thank you for your continued prayer and support in this crazy journey! We are forever grateful for your prayers- for us, for all of the birth mom's walking through this tough process, and of course the baby we end up with at the end of all of this.
Love,
The Lewis'
Matched by Tim and Cindy Bovey
