It has been almost a month since our first home visit with a certain 12 year old boy and, believe me when I say, its been a whirlwind!

By the conclusion of this weekend, we will have had 5 weekend visits (4 of them, consecutive) with each seeking to aid him, and us, in deciding how to proceed with the future of our family.

These weekends have been jam packed: we’ve introduced him to Campbell University football (of which, he’s now their biggest fan… #rollhumps), we’ve checked out the Museum of Natural Science, we’ve made a trip over to NC State (his second favorite school), we’ve introduced him to our church community (he was even a greeter with us last week!), we’ve built houses on Minecraft (he also likes blowing them up… seriously, I had to disable TNT… ha), we’ve walked the dogs to the park, and we’ve explored our hometown which is still new to us, but even newer to him.

We’ve also learned a few things: not all 12 year olds are given the “sleep-in” gene (seriously, 6:30am rising??), stocking up (perhaps “stock piling” is more adequate) on food is crucial to a growing boy, Legos are still a cool toy to play with, not all pre-teens hate trips to the public library (especially if they have Sports Illustrated for Kids available), and that bed-time is one of the most amazing things ever created.

All-in-all, these continued visits have confirmed what Heather and I knew pretty much from the start: we’re ready to continue down this new journey for our family.

So, where are we after 5 weeks of visits and all that’s come with them?…

We’re now working toward move-in! While there are a few more things to be done, we’re looking at a full-time placement in early October!

After he moves in, there will be a few more months of checking each other out- make sure that this is the best fit for him, and us. At the end of that period, we move into the realm of court dates and lawyers to move forward with an official adoption.

Thank you for your continued prayers, and friendship, on this journey. We’ve been glad to share this journey with you with hopes that you’ll not only support our journey, but will consider checking into it yourself. Foster and adoptive parents are critical needs in our country and there simply are not enough individuals and families checking it out. If you ever think you might be interested, please let us know! We’re glad to answer any questions that we can (or to direct you toward someone with answers!)

In the meantime, here are some things to note:

• Pictures – You may have noticed that we’ve not shared any photos of him or us with him. This is for his and our protection during the foster process. We know that some of you would love for us to share, but that is not possible for a while! He’s is a great kid, though, and we look forward to sharing our whole journey (in photos) with you all after an adoption is final.
• What About His Past? – His past is his… it’s his story to tell. We won’t be sharing any details here regarding this and we ask that you don’t ask too many questions if you see us in public. We’re not trying to be stand-offish or rude, but instead don’t share for his protection.
• How Can I Help? – Heather is working on a blog post that will share the ways you can help (for those that have been asking). For now, prayers are awesome! :)

#TheJourneyContinues