OUR JOURNEY TO KENAN

Part 2

Once we had picked our agency and sent in our application, it didn't take long to receive our acceptance letter along with a ginormous folder that had all the information about adopting a child from Guatemala - and so began the arduous paper chase.

We made appointments with doctors to update every one's health information, verified employment, got friends to write letters of recommendation, had background checks and fingerprints taken, took on-line classes that were required and had a social worker come and do interviews with us at home...just to name a few. Each document that was submitted had a specific way it was to be written and each one had to be notarized. I remember having to redo the ones from our doctor about 3 times before it was done right.

After collecting all those papers, we then had to send them in to the state for certification. A few weeks later we got them back and were able to mail everything in to the agency, finally, done, or so we thought... At this point it was late March/early April and during those weeks the wording on the medical form had changed combining two sentences into one. You guessed it, we had to do it over.

We got that done as quickly as possible and during that time, since our agency knew everything had been turned in and they were only waiting on that last document to arrive...we got a phone call! I'll never forget it. It was a Wednesday night and Madeline and I were walking up the ramp that connected our church's fellowship hall with our children's building on our way to children's choir. Our rep was calling to tell us that one of the lawyers they used had just gotten a bunch of boys files in their office and she wanted to know if we'd be interested in receiving a referral for one of them. That was the first moment I knew I'd be a mommy again.

She started telling me all about Marco Tulio Garcia Hernandez born three weeks ago on March 11, 2007 but I was in such shock and tears I could hardly pay attention. Of course I told her we'd love to receive the referral and the next afternoon a package arrived with pictures, background information and a DVD of our little boy.

We were given 72 hours to look everything over and make a decision. I took the DVD to our pediatrician Friday to get his medical opinion, we called our parents to see if they could help us with the financial side of things since this referral happened much sooner than expected and by Monday, we sent in our acceptance letter.

It was official and now all we could do was sit back and wait for the legal process to slowly unfold.

OUR JOURNEY TO KENAN

Part 1

Rex and I traveled to Israel in February 1998. We had been married almost three years and were beginning to feel the itch to start a family. During this amazing trip of walking where Jesus walked, we were praying for confirmation as to when we should begin the next adventure of our lives - becoming parents. On the final days of our visit, we were sitting on the first century steps that lead up to the temple in Jerusalem and looking out past the city into the countryside. These were the actual steps Jesus had preached on and we were preparing to read the Psalms of Ascent. I was imagining all the people who had come every year, traveling to the temple for Passover. Our Bibles were open but I hadn't started reading yet when Rex grabbed my arm and pointed to the passage his eyes had fallen upon. It was Psalm 127: 3-5 "Sons are a heritage from the Lord, children a reward from him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are sons born in one's youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them."

We knew right then and there God had answered our prayer and began trying for our family.

After about 9 months of trying on our own, things weren't happening and the OB/GYN tried for another 6 months or so. By this time it was spring 1999 so we sought the help of an infertility specialist. We did all the tests and procedures but were told they couldn't find anything wrong with either of us. Not what I wanted to hear. I wanted them to fix the problem so I could get my baby! We decided at that point to take medication and do IUI (aka insemination).

In June of that year we went on a mission trip to Brazil and fell completely in love with the people there. On that trip, we talked about once we had our own child maybe we would adopt the opposite of what we had from there. When we came home, on the 5th month of trying with IUI, in January 2000, we conceived and were overjoyed. The Lord however chose to take that baby home to be with Him six weeks later and one day, praise Him, we'll have a chance to hold that child we so desperately wanted to hold here.

After our miscarriage, we weren't going to give up and had another IUI two weeks before going back to Brazil on another mission trip to the same location in June 2000. Rex had to work this time and wasn't able to go with me. I was on post IUI medication and had to take more with me just in case the procedure worked. We both knew that the Friday before I came home we'd know one way or the other so for that whole week I was a nervous wreak! I took a pregnancy test on Friday morning and could hardly believe I was looking at a positive result! Nine months later Madeline Jireh was born.

When she was 2 1/2 we started trying for a second child. We started right where we had left off with doctor visits, medication and IUI. This time was a little harder and I had to have repeats of some diagnostic procedures and an additional surgery that wasn't needed the first go around. We weren't making any progress, things were going much slower this time, and we were told that we'd have to choose between going to the next level with in vitro fertilization, continuing to do what we had been trying or adopt. By this time it was April 2006.

That was a very difficult decision and I fought it for months until I was reminded about our first trip to Brazil and realized this was God's plan for our family. After attending informational meetings with adoption agencies and realized that Brazil was for the most part a closed country our next closest choice was Guatemala and we sent in our application on December 19, 2006.

Valentine's Recap

Here are a few highlights from Valentine's Day '09.

On Friday, Madeline's class along with all the other 2nd grades had a Hallelujah Hop in the gym. It was a 50's style sock hop and most kids came dressed in their 50's outfits. We had ice cream sundaes, bubble gum and hula hoop, relays and dancing. Since Rex has some free time on his hands, he came and played DJ by manning the sound system to keep the tunes spinning. It really was a lot of fun.

Saturday was Kenan's first Valentine's Day. He's become a chocoholic like his mama!

Madeline got the CD she's been wanting - High School Musical 3.

I was given tickets to Phantom of the Opera! I'm so excited! That night Rex and I went to see the improv group and illusionist that our church hosted for the local Christian radio station. I haven't had a belly laugh like that in a long time!

Here's a little bonus...couldn't you just eat him up?!

We are Survivors

My mind was wondering the other day and this random thought pops into my head. Almost all of the major events, good and bad, that have happened in our married life have occurred in the month of February. Most have to do with kids; our trip of a lifetime to Israel where we received our promise of children... the loss of our first pregnancy... the birth of our first child... going to Guatemala to get our second child...

The latest event however has nothing to do with children. Yesterday, Rex received the dreaded phone call that no employee wants to get. It was his notification that he was being laid off. This happened at 1:30 and he was informed that his access to everything would be shut off at 9:00. That's 7 1/2 hours to get everything from the last 4 or so years in order. Fortunately he saw this coming and had already begun this process. This morning I asked him how he was doing and he told me he felt very strange. This is the first day in his life that he hasn't either been in school or had a job.

So this is where we are now. Our prayer is that he'll have the wisdom needed to make the decisions about which job to take and hopefully those will be relatively close to this area. Above all else though, we want to go and do what the Lord would have us do because, "I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

We will make it through this. We will survive. But, can we just skip the month of February next year? :)

Happy Birthday Madeline!

Eight years ago today, this little bundle of joy came into our lives.

At 5:58am, Madeline Jireh Backes made her first and much anticipated entrance into this world. She's my little miracle that took 3 years to get here. God gave us a promise on our trip to Israel in 1998 that He would give us children. Even though He had us wait longer than we wanted to, it was only to make the blessing doubly precious and we wouldn't change a single second of it. Her middle name means, The Lord Will Provide, and He sure did!

She's become her own person, going from Disney Princess to Army and camouflage in one year. From prissy to sporty to wanting to be more fashionable. You never know what her new interest will be. She's really growing up and not a baby any more!
Madeline, we love you and are so thankful to be your Mom and Dad. You're our special gift and we're so very proud of you!

HAPPY 8th BIRTHDAY!

JESUS...there's just something about that name

Here is a song our choir did last Sunday morning. If you don't feel something in you stirring you may want to check your pulse.

Rex was able to get himself in the video and so did my lovely friends Melissa, Antonia, Beth and Tina, but I was standing on the other side on the end of the front row so all I see of myself is my arm. That doesn't matter anyway. What does matter is the praise that was lifted to the very throne.

Watch this and get your praise on!

Something happens when we call on His name!

January In Review

Since I started late in the month I thought I'd give an overview of what happened. I can hear you holding on to the edge of your seat!

Let me back up just a bit and fill you in on December...

Two weeks before Christmas while taking Madeline to her last day of school before break, I had a person turn in front of me when I was going straight through an intersection. This lady hesitated but continued turning and I had no choice but to hit her - her car, not the actual lady. So, needless to say, we were late arriving to school and missed the first part of chapel. All we had to show for it was my lovely parting gift of a cracked front bumper and a tardy marked on my daughter's report card.

After chapel ended Madeline's class headed over to the big Christmas Tree in the lobby for a photo op. On the way there I dropped my camera and it broke. It was now time for a nervous breakdown. Long story short, my sweet mother loaned us her camera so we'd be able to take pictures of Kenan's first Christmas and Rex cashed in his points at work to get us a brand new one.

We ended up having a great Christmas filled with wonderful memories - and I have pictures to prove it!

Now on to January...

I took the car to the above mentioned lady's insurance company and had them assess the damage. The adjuster gave me a dollar amount but I had to wait to get the check for the repairs until the person assigned to my claim approved it. It took 2 weeks of leaving messages on her voicemail before I found out that the check had already been sent. I found this out by talking to someone else. The insurance lady never did return my calls. I still haven't gotten my car fixed.

Basketball season started and let's just say it's a failed experiment. Softball registration began this week.

Then there was the 'big snow'. We really only got like 2-3 inches but it was just enough to close school and spend the day as a family outside playing. Kenan didn't know what to think. Once he got used to it though, I think he enjoyed it.

We had fun making snow angels, sledding down the hill in our backyard, and making a snowman.

Like I said, we only got 2-3 inches.

This last week has been spent battling a stomach virus that found its way into Kenan's tummy. Poor thing, he's really had a time with it and we've lost sleep but thank goodness he's now on the mend. I know because he can't seem to get enough to eat. Guess he's making up for it.

Madeline lost her 5th tooth at school yesterday during lunch. The tooth fairy marked the occasion with $5, one dollar for every tooth she's lost so far. This morning she woke up with a tummy ache...

Well, there you have it. You're now up to speed for this year. Can't wait to see what the rest of it has in store.