Recommended Adoption/Orphan Care Books

I'm not a huge reader, I was growing up and I do love a good book, however I tend to gobble up little bits (blogs, magazines, etc.) When I find a good book I just want to submerse myself in it and not do anything else, which with three kids at home and a husband is a little difficult. So this may not be the most comprehensive list... but I figure it's a good start for anyone looking.

1. The Bible.... what? The ultimate adoption story. I'll give two recommendations here.

 

First, the NKJK Woman's Study Bible... love, love, love this bible. So great for personal study. The helps are incredible and it is just so clearly put together. If you are new to the Bible, I totally recommend getting this and really digging in. 

Secondly, this is my new favorite. I love taking notes in my Bible AND I have a sudden obsession with Moleskine journals. So, this totally makes sense to me. The ESV Single Column Journaling Bible. If you follow the Amazon link you can click look inside and see the awesomeness of this. Oh, and I really like the translation. This is my first time with the ESV version and I am usually an NKJV girl. But this is the best of both worlds. It doesn't seem completely foreign to me like some modern translations do, but it does totally make some passages so much easier to digest. 

2. Orphanology: Awakening to Gospel-Centered Adoption and Orphan Care This has been one of my favorite books on adoption and orphan care. It breaks down many areas of orphan care and truly presents God's heart for it. It tackles international, domestic, foster care, creating an orphan care ministry, and how leadership should create a culture of adoption. Our adoption and orphan care ministry has a number of these books available to borrow if you are interested in reading it. 



3. Acres of Hope: The Miraculous Story of One Family's Gift of Love to Children  Without Hope The true story of a family that adopted eight special needs children on top of the seven biological children God had given them. Truly inspiring and made me fully see adoption and orphan care as a mission that God has called our family to not just a way to add a child.

4.Another Place at the Table While not a Christian book this is a great realistic account of what it's like doing foster care. She touches on a number of topics you don't always here about. I guess the word that just keeps coming to mind is real. A great read.


5. God Found Us You (Harperblessings) This is one of our favorite books to read with the girls and get the picture of adoption in their head and how badly we longed for them. The only part I will caution is about is that little fox asks why he couldn't stay with his birth mom and Momma Fox says that she (b-mom) must have had her reasons and that she's sure she prayed for her as much as she (Momma Fox) prayed for her. For now I skip over or augment that part. Without a doubt, while we were waiting I prayed so much (and even blogged about it) for our birth mom. I don't believe that was without reason. However, the wording of the book certainly lends itself more to a birth mom relinquishment or international adoption, not necessarily foster adoption. Never the less... it's an incredible book and one to add to your library. **Note--- make sure you have tissues, I cry each time. *** The same author also has some other books we love: God Gave Us Christmas and  God Gave Us Easter.

6. Just in Case You Ever Wonder I love this book. I've had the copy we use since M was little (and he's 13 now). I held on to it because I loved it and always trusted that one day we would need it. While it's not specifically adoption related the words ring true for all children and the wording isn't specific to children born into a family. For example: " And since you are so special, go wanted to put you in just the right home... where you would be warm when it's cold, where you'd be safe when you're afraid, where you'd have fun and learn about heaven. After lots of looking, God sent you to me. And I'm so glad He did." A classic for generations to come.

7. My Family, My Journey: A Baby Book for Adoptive Families This is the baby book we have for each of the twins. It was given to me at our baby shower for "Baby Z". It sat for the longest time unwritten in because I was so scared that it would only serve as a sad reminder if we lost the girls. I remember the day I ordered a second one and so gingerly wrote their names in them. Beautiful book and I love that it is specific to adoption.

So, here's just a starter list. I'm sure there will be more as time goes by and I'll update. I'd love to hear any recommendations you have as well in the comments!

Heavy Laden

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

- Matthew 11:28

Our Adoption Timeline

In case you wonder here is our adoption timeline. It looks absolutely nothing like I thought it would, but it still has God's fingerprints all over it.

January 1, 2011- God opened the door to adoption.

February 2011- We decided to trust God and begin our adoption journey.

February 14, 2011- Mailed in our preliminary adoption application and $700 deposit to Adoption Associates, Inc (AAI).

March 1, 2011- Answer to prayer-- we don't have to travel to Michigan to begin the process.

March 8, 2011- Saw the hand of God when we received our $700 check back from AAI. Just in time to mail $700 out with our home study packet. Praise God!

March 11, 2011- Had our phone consultation with AAI. We hung up with such a giddy feeling, and so excited to move forward in this journey.

April 2, 2011- Our first of two home study interviews. We were assured that everything sounded wonderful! Thank you LORD!

April 11, 2011- Mailed in our Formal Application to AAI, along with a check for $1095.

April 16, 2011- Had our second home study meeting. This time at our home.

April 25, 2011- We received our home study to look over and approve! Final home study check for $942.74 sent out today. Praise God! Total spend to date for adoption costs is $3000 and God has provided every penny.

April 28, 2011- Received our final copy of our home study!

April 29, 2011- Mailed our home study to AAI!

May 20, 2011- Our final paperwork and profiles sent off to AAI, along with a check for $1885.

June 14, 2011 After a long day with friends we returned home to find an email from an acquaintance. She wrote of a friend in our area who had been contacted by DHHS regarding six month old twin girls who needed a home. We made the decision to inquire with the department.

June 15, 2011 We were told no. We were at peace. We decided that these were not the children God had planned for us. We wondered if foster care was something God was calling us to. We continued our wait.

June 22, 2011 We got the call. From Maine. “Do you still want the twins?”

June 29, 2011 We met our daughters for the first time.

July 5, 2011 Our daughters Hannah and Haylee came home as our foster daughters.

October 2011 Our first placement hearing.

March 13, 2012 A second placement hearing.

May 17, 2012 Parental rights terminated.

August 15, 2012 Adoption Day!

This 320 Life

I used to blog. I used to blog a lot actually but we moved and got focused on where God had planted us.  I started blogging again about our adoption journey, but my plans met God's plans and rather than a private domestic adoption we found ourselves in the middle of an incredible foster care journey that led to us adopting our two youngest daughters. I love looking back at my old blog and following that journey, however I'm feeling the need for a new home now. I moved all my old posts over here so you can see parts of the journey too. I'm still struggling about how to do this. How to share and hopefully encourage and inspire others going through this journey... yet maintain some anonymity for myself and my family.

Even saying that I feel like I'm stuck in a state of fearfulness. For crying out loud, I live in one town over from my daughters birth family. I see them weekly. It's not like I'm living some private life. I guess it comes down to this fierce mama bear part of me that doesn't want them to know anything about MY daughters. To see the gains and the struggles. To see how incredible they are. To see my vulnerability. To have any part in their lives. Does that sound horrible?

I've been working on a video of our story for almost a year now. A video documenting it all... or at least some of it. I truly think I could write a book on the thirteen months we spent as foster parents to our daughters. I wish now that I had kept a journal during it all, but in all honesty that would have been exhausting.

So here I am again putting pen to paper fingers to keyboard. I'm hoping to connect with others. Others who have walked this road. Who have fought the battles, who have embraced the blessings. In thinking of a name for this blog I was reminded of  a promise whispered to me years ago as we tried to have more biological children. The phrase "exceedingly, abundantly". I remembered looking it up and finding this verse from Ephesians 3:20-21:

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.  

God has done that and more... he has done far more abundantly than I could ever thing or ask. This life I live, that I have been given is so abundant... overflowing... this 320 life.