Last Monday night, I got a Facebook message from a wonderful man I've known for many years from church, Bro. Eddie Marsh. His heart beats big time for adoption and foster care, and he was messaging me to let me know about a Facebook post he saw from a young woman he has known for a long time. This woman recently adopted and was sharing that her agency was looking for a Texas family with an approved home study. THAT'S US! Bro. Eddie connected us, and this young woman gave me contact information for the adoption case worker at Colores Adoptions. (That's right, a different agency.)
This has happened several times. Someone sees a Facebook post, they think of me and send me info, I contact the person, and then nothing happens. I'm so incredibly grateful that people think to send me the information each time, but I had gotten used to those leading to dead ends, so when I sent the email Monday night saying we are a Texas family with an approved home study, I honestly didn't expect anything to happen.
Boy was I wrong!!
I got an email back from Lindsay, the adoption worker, and she told me the info she needed, so I got busy. It was hectic. Our printer was out of paper. My computer wouldn't connect to it anyways. Austin's computer kept shutting down. But by the end of the night, I had all the necessary information sent back to Lindsay, and she said they'd be showing profiles to the birth mother in NORTH CAROLINA the next day. It almost felt like deja vu. Just a few weeks ago, we got a call about a baby in Dallas, got our hopes WAY up, heard that they would be showing the birth mother profiles, and then she chose another family. After Lindsay's email, I honestly didn't think anything would come from this.
Fast forward to Friday! I've mentioned in an earlier post that I don't get any phone service in my classroom at school. NONE! So I walked out of school on Friday afternoon, and my phone started buzzing with a few notifications of things I had missed while I had been inside without service all day. I noticed a voicemail from an out of state number from 10:19 that morning. It was Lindsay! She was so casual on the phone and simply asked me to call her back, so I did. Then I had to leave her a message and sent her a text as well. I was dying!!! Surely there's no other reason she'd be calling than to tell me we were chosen. She texted back a little while later saying she'd call me later that evening. I'm not going to lie, my hopes diminished. I just really thought she was going to say something like the birth mother chose another family but that they would keep our information on file and let us know if something else comes up.
Austin went to work. I watched tv for a little while. Then I headed to the YMCA to watch Sophie's basketball game. I got there about 15 minutes early and saw Brooke, Chad, Lillie, and Sophie sitting on the floor in a corner waiting for Soph's game. I sat down with them and started telling Brooke about the North Carolina situation. I was in the middle of my story when my phone rang. It was Lindsay! I got up and ran out of the gym and down a dark hallway of the Y. This is the moment when my whole world changed! Lindsay asked if I was ready to be a mama really soon because this was our baby! Tears filled my eyes, and I couldn't breathe! I was almost hyperventilating, and Lindsay was so sweet on the other end of the phone! She celebrated with me and told me to go tell Austin and we'd handle the details later!
Listen. If you happened to be at the YMCA gym last night and see a CRAZY lady RUNNING down the hall and into the gym with tears in her eyes and just start yelling...that was ME! I pray I never forget the look on Brooke's face as I ran around the corner to tell her it was now HER turn to be an aunt! Her eyes got so big, and shock filled her face. She was confused because I hadn't been able to even get the story out before Lindsay called! We were laughing with happiness when she said, "Wait! Do you know a gender?!" I happily responded, "It's a BOY!"
For anyone who witnessed this all, I hope you were able to pick up on what was going on! I know I looked crazy, but oh well! I ran out of the gym and began calling Austin. I finally got ahold of him and told him our wonderful news! He didn't believe me! He totally thought I was kidding. I finally got it through to him that this was actually happening! We were able to get in touch with family and close friends, and there were so many tears and so much happiness!
Our sweet Baby Boy Starkey will arrive any time now! He's due on February 28th, but the doctors said he should be making his grand entrance any day! Now we wait for the call telling us to hop on a plane to North Carolina and come meet our son! Oh my goodness! My head is still spinning! I'm overjoyed! I've prayed for this day, and God's fingerprints are all over this entire process! I'll explain all of that in another post on another day! For now, celebrate with us! Praise God for His goodness and faithfulness! Pray for and with us! Our sweet little boy will arrive in a matter of weeks or even days, and he's OURS!
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