Update!

Happy Holidays everyone! We hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving with friends and family. We had the chance to visit one of my dearest friends in New York for Thanksgiving and go to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (which has been a major bucket list item for me). It was really magical and the most incredible way to start this Christmas season. 

For the last two years, the holidays have been difficult for us. Longing for a child in our home to share this special season with, seeing the endless pictures of families and children enjoying Christmas morning, and even being surrounded by our incredible families and spending precious time with them and wanting our children to share in those memories. Over the last few days, as we have been decorating our home and planning our holiday events, I have been surprised. Those feelings of longing and sadness, have been replaced with joy, hope, and eager anticipation. The last few months, we have been overwhelmed with so much love and support and we are more confident than ever that the Lord has a plan for our family. We thank God for restoring our hearts and filling us with joy. We thank Him for the ways that He has provided and for the people He has placed in our lives that have poured out so much love and encouragement over us.

So here is an update on the adoption:

Fundraising is going amazingly well! The garage sale our mothers organized was a major success and we were able to raise over $1300 from sales alone, and received a number of other very generous donations that day. Our t-shirt sales were also super successful. We were able to pre-sale 150 t-shirts! This not only will be a huge financial help, but will also be a great way to spread the word about our adoption and the Lord's faithfulness. We are almost at 50% of our fundraising goal!!!

Also, super exciting news, our home study will be complete in just TWO WEEKS! We have been working really hard and the process has gone so smoothly. This means that just after Christmas, we will begin the matching process. Let me explain the matching process briefly... Once we are approved, we will begin receiving birth mother profiles. This is a summary of information about a birth mother, her situation, her history, and her expectations for the adoption. We will pray over this profile and discuss whether or not we feel this birth mother will be a good match for us. If we say yes, our profile (a book all about us) will be taken to her, along with the profiles of any other families who would like her to be shown their profile. If she chooses us, then we will be matched. From their, we will follow her through the remainder of her pregnancy, until the baby comes. This all looks very different for every family and birth mother, so there is no real way of knowing how long it will be or the timeline of how things will happen.

So what can you be doing now? PRAY. Pray for us as we finish the home study process and make some big decisions. Pray for our hearts to continually be filled with joy and patience as we wait upon the Lord. Pray for the birth mother, as she makes huge decisions for herself and her child. Pray for her health and salvation. Pray for that sweet baby that will one day be ours. You can also continue to spread the word about our adoption and consider donating financially. We are so thankful for each and every one of you and for the countless ways that you have been a part of this journey with us. 

GARAGE SALE THIS WEEKEND!

The weekend weather looks to be much better, so come out and see us and buy some great items!

Burp Cloth Fundraiser

My very talented mother, Denise Boyd, is selling handmade (cotton/flannel), monogrammed burp cloths, to raise money for our adoption. They are perfect for a baby shower or Christmas gift!

 

All prices include monogram.

1 for $8.00

2 for $15.00

4 for $28.00

 

These are a few of the on-hand selections, customizing available.

To order, contact Denise Boyd at boydbiker@aol.com

or Laura Cater at bringinghomebabycater@gmail.com

The Why

The past week has been full of love, encouragement, support, and excitement as friends, family, and even some strangers have realized we are adopting and reached out to us. However, a surprising few have actually asked us "Why?"

The answer to this question is really two-fold. Laura and I started dating in November of 2010. Two weeks into our relationship, Laura casually mentioned that, whenever the time came, she wanted to adopt. I was a little surprised, to say the least. But, it revealed so much of her heart to me right from the beginning. We knew that adoption would be a major part of our lives one day.

A few years, a move back home, a marriage, and two new jobs later, we had decided we wanted to start trying to have children. So many of our close friends and family were welcoming new little ones and we wanted in on the fun! However, several months into trying, we weren't getting pregnant. We went to Alabama Fertility Specialists to see what could be done. The year or so that followed was riddled with new medications, treatment plans, crossed fingers, thousands in medical bills, and disappointments. Nothing was working. It took a toll on us both, but Laura especially. Each time we got a negative result, we were plunged into a downward spiral of negativity, doubt, sadness, and grief. There were many tears.

Then, over saki and sushi at Surin this past August, we decided we'd had enough. We've wanted to adopt from the beginning, why not just do it now? God has a funny way of getting what He wants. And so here we are. We have lots of work ahead of us, but we have full confidence in God's plan and His timing. Thanks for partnering with us in this journey. Check here often for updates. Leave a comment, stay in touch. It means so much to us to know that you have our back and are pulling for us. We appreciate you.  - Dan

Hello!

We are so excited to share with our friends and family that we are adopting! This is such an exciting time for us and we are overwhelmed by the love and support of those around us. We also know that we have a long journey ahead and that it will be filled with challenges, but also, so much joy. We are confident that the Lord has great plans for our family and we can't wait to see what He has in store! We hope that through this blog, we can keep you updated and informed on our journey. We love you guys!