And so the Baers Den Grows again!

We are super excited to announce that God has found us a precious little girl half way around the world in China! She is two years old and we have made the commitment to adopt her. We are praying God will help us to get her home by Christmas.

The story to this little one:

Don and I have both always known that we would probably adopt another child one day. Our lives were forever changed on February 4, 2008 when we walked in to an eerily quiet orphanage in Kirov, Russia. I can still smell and hear that place. I tear up thinking about it. And to think our son lived there for 8 months of his life. It is not where God wants children to grow up, He wants them to know the love of a family.

We started fostering because we could. I believe it is our duty as Christians to help the needy and the orphans of the world are the neediest. Oliver is growing and thriving in our family. We cannot imagine our lives without him, it is truly hard for me to believe I didn't birth either of the boys. We know that Matson was our miracle gift and so with his adoption tax credit we are paying it forward.

I frequently think about how I need to become closer to God. I am very firm in my faith and have what I consider to be a close relationship with God. However, I do not know the bible well and always feel it is one of my shortcomings as God's child. He calls, I follow and I talk to Him constantly. So I keep thinking if I started doing devotions each morning it will help me to grow, so I should make it my New Years resolution. On New Years Day this year I thought "once again I am not starting my devotions. Went to take Oliver to a movie and he decided he didn't want to see it so we went shopping and Brynn joined us. In Marshall's I saw a pretty book with lavender on the cover and I picked it up. It was a devotional starting on January 1st and it was $4.99. Thump thump thump! So every morning since it is how I start my day. LOVING IT!

Our thirteenth anniversary was in January. We left the boys with my parents for the weekend for the first time ever and went to St. Augustine for some couple time. On Sunday morning we were taking our time getting ready to head out for the day. I put my devotional on my bag to do in the car on the drive from Jacksonville to St. Augustine. Then I thought "why wait, do it now" so I did. It was about patience and letting God work his ways. To me it meant "be patient for Don's heart to be ready for our next adoption, let God work". Don asked me what it was about. And I told him, honestly I thought about lying to him. Well, it lead to a very tearful conversation and Don admitting he knew and that it was ok for me to push this time. He fought me with both of the boys and says all the time God knew and got the last laugh. I wanted him to come to me and be ready this time.

We headed down to St. Augustine and stopped at Village Inn for breakfast and their was an article in the paper about adopting from foster care, older kids, etc. So the conversation went on about how we both know after fostering that we cannot adopt a child older than our Oliver, maybe one day but not while he is so young. We don't want younger than Matson as we are getting older and are tired of babies and diapers. We both want to adopt what others may see as unadoptable. Don thinks our child is in foster care, I think he/she is in an orphanage.

We get to our new fancy smancy hotel and get on the trolley tour for the day. We end up feeling banged up and get off. We decide let's find some lunch. We walk through a street market and I am looking at amber jewelry (feel in love with it in Moscow) and I hear "nyet, nyet" and more in what I think is Russian by two ladies looking at the table next to me. I look for Don and he is way down the street. I catch up and tell him about the ladies. And he says "why didn't you say something to them?" and I said "I never know what to say, but could have since Oliver isn't here". We decide to go to Scarlet and Rhetts for lunch but cannot find a seat so down the street we go. We got to Sara's Crepe Cafe and guess what it is? A Russian cafe playing Russian music and filled with Russian things. We had lunch of pelmeni and belini. I cried and I think Don was a little teary too.....

So, I have spent the last 6 weeks on an investigation to find the right path for us. It seems to be China. Foster adoptions is not our avenue, inquired all over the place and to get a child between the boys in age that wouldn't require lifetime care is not going to happen anytime soon. Russia is too expensive. Ukraine to risky as it is all blind travel with no guarantees. Don is too old for some countries. And then I found our little peanut on a photo listing and as Don says "I knew you wouldn't let her go".....

There is more to the story and I will share as time goes on but please know I know without doubt God has me by the hand this time!