Sweaty hands, heart pounding, butterflies in the stomach...what could make us feel this way? The answer is love. Love for a child we have not yet met. 

Many of you know that Bethany spent some time in the hospital this past summer due to serious blood clots on her lungs. We have been told that it is best that we not pursue biological children at this time.

So in light of that news, we are pleased to announce that we're planning to adopt! 

God put this desire in Bethany's heart back when she was a teenager, but He took the long way around before telling Chris this was His plan for our lives. In December of 2016 God spoke very clearly to him about growing our family this way. 

He has since then launched us full force into the process! We have filed paperwork (and our first payment) with Bethany Christian Services and are waiting for our Home Study to begin shortly. (This is the second step in the process and usually takes a couple of months.)

Once our Home Study is complete we will be waiting for a birth mother to choose us to be her baby's family. We'll most likely bring our baby home from the hospital (although only God knows the circumstances ahead).

At the very least, our adoption will be semi-open, meaning that the birth mother will choose us, and we'll keep in touch through letters and photos after placement. We hope that knowing that her baby is happy, healthy, and loved will reinforce the decision to place her child with us. 

The waiting period is a lot like a pregnancy, except that we have no idea how long it will last. We could be chosen within weeks of our Home Study being completed, or it could take much longer for the right birth mother to come along. In the meantime, your support will mean a lot to us. We're excited about starting our family, and hope you'll welcome our baby with open arms when he or she finally arrives!

So what are we doing during this waiting period? Praying and prepping! We have gone to a couple of trainings and will be reading over some required literature. We are also working to save and raise money to cover the costs that are involved with this adventure. We would love for you to consider donating to our future, monetarily as well as through prayer!

We could not do this life without you all and we are so blessed to have you in our lives!
 
#faithincreases

Bethany and Chris Olden