Elijah Riley's Gotcha Day!!!

Our Precious little boy, Elijah Riley.
Born May 9th. Gotcha Day May 31
Just 4 lbs 11 oz at birth, now a growing boy at 5 lbs 6 oz.
























He is just beautiful and so peaceful when he sleeps. He is a very content baby and we are truly blessed.




















After he's been fed, he's wide awake for at least a half hour. He loves to look at mommy and daddy.























Long fingers - will he be a piano player or baseball player.

















He spit up all over mommy and himself within five minutes of our first meeting! Welcome to motherhood! This is his first outfit change!


























Proud Parents!












First Family Photo

Birthmom, Sara, was so brave and handed him to us. She is so precious and gave us the most amazing gift we could have ever asked for!

His first car ride as a part of the Barnhouse Family.

Hi, Ohio!

We're here! We left at 11 a.m. and made it to Stow, Ohio at 6 p.m. It was a scenic route through the beautiful West Virginia mountains. The empty carseat was in the backseat and I kept trying to process that in just one day, it will be filled. And it's not just for a little while - it's for real, forever, for keeps! It absolutely blows my mind!



And then I had this panic-stricken thought, "What if I'm not a good mother? What if he cries and I don't know what to do?"

One of my friends shared the sweetest prayer with me - praying specifically that our son would know us - know we are his parents - the moment we hold him. I love him already and I haven't even seen him. I cannot imagine how much more these feelings will intensify when he's finally placed in my arms - but not just in my arms, in my care. Oh, praise You, Father!


Ed wanted to make sure to let every Buckeye fan know we are "Loud and Proud" Canes.








Continue to pray. Tomorrow is the day we pick up our son. Our schedule is:
11:30 - meet with the caseworker to go over paperwork (1 hour)
1:00 - birthmother, Sara, signs all surrender paperwork (1 hour)
2:15-2:30 - PLACEMENT! We meet our boy!
2:30 until ... - We finalize paperwork - HE'S OURS!!!

CHOSEN!

This is the day we found out our birthmother had chosen us to parent "Riley." We were given Winnie the Pooh holding the card saying she chose us to be his parents!

It's a BOY!

"Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him." Psalm 34:8

Have you heard?! God is good - oh yes, all the time.

We had an interview this week. It was the third birthmother we've interviewed with. She was quiet and shy and didn't make eye contact at first - but then throughout the interview, she opened up, we laughed and talked and we left feeling good about it, but knowing that anything can happen. We've learned to remain somewhat guarded after the first two interviews didn't result in a baby.

We prayed all week for wisdom and peace and discernment - but most importantly we prayed for God's perfect will. Thursday was a big day. We knew the birthmother was meeting the second and final couple. We prayed all day. That morning I knew God had given me a perfect peace about this baby and it was the first time I allowed myself to pray specifically for him to be ours. It wasn't until we got home from work that Ed shared he had felt the same peace come to him that day. No sooner had we discussed it, the phone rang.

Our caseworker was on the line saying we needed to come back in on Friday. Ed said he thought it was a trick for her to tell us she picked us, but I did NOT want to get my hopes up.

When we got there Friday morning, we made small talk for awhile and then she asked if we remembered when we were talking about Winnie the Pooh. In our interview she asked if the baby could watch Winnie the Pooh because she grew up with it and loved it. This time she said she had something to show us - and pulled out a Winnie the Pooh stuffed animal holding Piglet and a hand-written card.

It read: "There's a boy named Riley and he needs parents and I'm hoping you can help him out because I'm let'n ya know I want you to be his!"

We were so overwhelmed we were speechless! We couldn't speak, cry, react - we just sat stunned. I was shaking - literally shaking. She had chosen us to raise this little boy - to be his parents - to love him and raise him in the fear and knowledge of the Lord. Oh how unbelievably blessed we are!

Riley is the name she has chosen and we have decided to keep that as part of his name. We can't decide if Elijah or Noah will be his first name - or Ed has suggested Riley Cane - as in Hurricanes. He's so excited, he already bought him Miami onesies, hat and pacifier!

And now the fun begins - we scramble to get together a nursery so everything is ready to bring him home in the next two to four weeks.

We ask for your continued prayers as this is a unique situation where the birthfather hasn't been involved or even located to sign over his rights. There is still a slight risk he could show up, but given the track record thus far, it doesn't seem highly probable. Still, we ask you to pray:
- Baby Riley, as he is in foster care, to be loved and provided for, healthy and to get on a schedule!
- Placement to happen BEFORE Father's Day, June 15
- The birthfather's rights to be terminated quickly and without contest
- Us as we get ready for baby!

We will keep you posted as soon as we know more details. We have so much to be thankful for and so much to continue praying about. We are simply overwhelmed by God's faithfulness, His provision, and His sovereignty.

"May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed.
We will shout for joy when you are victorious and will lift up our banners in the name of our God. May the LORD grant all your requests." Psalm 20:4-5

We know that God has allowed us to take this journey to increase our faith and to show us what He is capable of. Truly, we are witnessing a miracle. We pray that through this, you will experience Him too!

Keep Praying

I am not at Liberty to disclose full information, but I do ask that you keep praying. Not just for us, as we anxiously wait, but also for the birthmothers looking at albums, the birthfathers who seem to be increasingly difficult and the families of those involved.

We've encountered such scenarios like birthfathers who simply aren't being compliant with birthmothers' wishes for a placement plan; birthfathers who haven't or can't be located and could have up to two months to contest an adoption without proper consent; parents of the birthparents who aren't in agreement of what their teenagers should choose...

This process is not just taxing on us as we wait - sometimes going weeks and months without hearing anything - but it is extremely difficult for the birthmothers and birthfathers and family members involved in agonizing over this life-changing decision. I can't even imagine. But I do know that we've met some of them and know them by name and it makes it very real that this process is not just about us getting a baby. It is about changing more than one life.

Specifically, I ask you to join with us in prayer for:
- The birthmothers and birthfathers to encounter positive examples of adoption and to fully understand the benefits and advantages of this gift of life
- For the birthfamilies to be filled with peace and discernment as they make such a difficult decision
- To trust, know and accept God's will (for all of us involved)
- For the interview process - for the birthmothers to have wisdom as they choose the adoptive families
- For the families involved - to know and experience God's saving grace through this process, if they haven't already, and to know His perfect peace as they move on with life after the baby's birth
- For the unborn babies - to be protected and healthy and to be given God's best for their lives

We also know of one situation that will be going to court this month as a young birthmother fights the birthfather for custody. Please keep them in your prayers. Pray for protection for this baby and for God's will to be done for this family.

Thank you, prayer warrior, for standing with us in faith.

Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD. Psalm 40:3b

We will shout for joy when you are victorious and will lift up our banners in the name of our God. May the LORD grant all your requests. Psalm 20:5

What's New?!

We so often get asked, "Have you heard anything?" The answer is not really. I like to tell everyone we're expectant parents without a due date! We are still in the 'waiting pool' which means that we won't hear anything until someone looks at our album and requests an interview. And please don't be offended if we don't tell you when we have an interview, because there are no guarantees.

It's safe to tell you we've had two interviews thus far - the first birthmother chose another family and we were devastated. But we then had perfect peace that God had closed that door for us. The second interview resulted in the birthmother deciding to parent after she had given birth.

I have been able to attend two support group events they've had at the Godparent Home where I've met the birthmothers in their care, as well as other waiting moms. These are held every other month. Last week we had 'game night' which turned out to be a great way to relax and get to know some of the girls.

So we continue to wait. And in the meantime, we do have a few other updates to give.

Work continues on the "Play Room." Ed and a good friend laid laminate floors the beginning of this week and we're finishing up the drywall. It was a difficult debate tonight in Lowes picking out the right paint color. I found a delightful plum that would have just been so pretty, but Ed was rooting for Miami Orange (as in Hurricanes). Somehow we compromised and ended up with "Turtle Green." My contribution to all this home improvement will be to paint...starting tomorrow.

In other news, we are participating in the Walk for Life on Saturday, May 3, and we're raising support from family and friends that will all go to benefit the Liberty Godparent Foundation. We have a team walking with us - my mom and sister, my roommate from college, Haley, and a friend from work, Denise. Would you consider being a part of this event with us?! If you can't walk with us, maybe you can give a tax deductible donation.

So that is the news from our home. Keep us posted on you and yours. We covet your prayers and we appreciate your understanding as we filter through what we can and can't share. Oh, and as soon as the room is finished, you're invited to come over! :)

My Will or Thine?

Life has been a complete blur the past few weeks. I've been 'living' at church for the Living Cross rehearsals and presentations. In the midst of it all, I can't quite figure out what God is doing. It seems like there's a new 'surprise' around each corner. And yet, I know He's not surprised by the circumstances that surround me. As a good friend of mine put it, "God did not slap His forehead when He heard about this." I'm so glad El Roi sees...

He's never shocked by what we face. He's not unaware of our present state. He sees, He knows, and He is Sovereignly in control.

I struggle so much with understanding how the choices of His children, the human flesh that is so capable of failure, affect His perfect plan. He gives us free will - the freedom to choose, to be, to act, to refuse. How does my choice affect His perfect plan for my life?

I'm praying for discernment, wisdom and peace. I'm asking for His Spirit to guide me. I am striving to relinquish control and allow Him to lead.

Let it be Thy will, not mine! Help me not to get in the way of Your plan.

Feeding the Flock

We're still on the swirling spinning thriller ride called "Adoption". I liken it to that first big hill that you climb ... and climb ... and climb ... Every part of you anticipates the dramatic drop that will surely throw your stomach into your throat. Once you're down the hill, you gain momentum on the straight-away, only to feel the course violently jerk as you take a sharp turn.

Last week I got to meet the girls currently staying at the Godparent Home. It was so awkward - at first - because of the obvious reasons we were all there. There were birthmoms, waiting moms, adoptive moms. Those who had experienced a miracle, those waiting for one, and others just praying for strength to make it through another day. I met girls far too young to be mothers, but that did not hide the obvious. Their growing bellies seemed a stark contrast to the braces on their teeth. Everything in me wanted to hope they didn't think I was there 'shopping'. I was more than aware of the reality that one of them just might be carrying my future son (or daughter - don't tell Ed I said that!). But I was so conscious to make sure they also knew I genuinely cared about them.

Some of them shared their stories with me. One girl came up and said she thought I was beautiful. Another one noticed how we both put hearts over the "i's" in our names. Before long, I found myself surrounded by 5 or 6 of them. In that moment, I wasn't aware that they were pregnant unwed mothers. I was only aware of the fact that they were teenage girls who I was able to connect with. I was in my element. It was just like my college days when we'd travel to a church and I would find myself in the middle of a pack of teenagers. For some reason, my personality has always been the shepharder. I was so thankful I could be myself and they could be comfortable enough with me for us to look past the real reasons we were both there.

I told Ed that once we're on the 'other side' and we have been able to adopt, I want to minister to them. I want to hang out with them, invite them to our home, let them see a godly example of a husband and wife and adoptive parents. I pray for God to use me in this ministry.

What has resulted is an awareness of praying for them by name. I don't know if they will parent or place; I don't know if one of them will choose us; all I know is the situation they each find themselves in will forever change lives. I pray for them. I pray for the children they're bearing. I pray for the waiting families they may choose to parent their children. God has brought me face-to-face with the question, "Do I love his sheep?" My answer...I want to tend the flock.

Let Us Pray

"...On Him we have set our hope that He will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers. Then many will gives thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many." 2 Corinthians 1:10b-11

His word tells us to bear with one another and to lift each other up. He promises that where two or more are gathered in His name, He is there. But this - OH WOW! This scripture is blowing my mind to see how vital intercession is to the requests we make known to God. It's not only to get us on our knees (or our faces) before Him but it is to get others to come to Him, too.

"He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord." Psalm 40:3 The two verses before this talk about being lifted out of the pit. Are you in a pit of despair? Have you cried out for help? Wait patiently for the Lord to deliver you, but in the meantime, ask your brothers and sisters to prayerfully lift you up. Why?! So that many will see His powerful deliverance and they will put their trust in Him as a result of the miracle He has performed.

Won't you join with us in prayer?! We invite you to witness the miracle in the making. We know God is already at work. Here's how you can pray specifically:
- The Birthmother - for strength and peace as she makes such a difficult decision
- The Baby - health, protection, loving foster parents
- Us - to trust and wait for His perfect plan

We can't wait to share what God does and we want you to share in this journey with us so you, too, can experience the miracle He is creating! We covet your prayers.

God Speaking

Waiting. When the answer is not "no" or "yes" but just "not right now" waiting can be the most difficult burden to bear. I understand this holding pattern. Our current situation lends itself to no answers, no news, just waiting. Praise God, all of our paperwork is into the agency - as well as the album - and now we wait. Not really knowing how to plan, when God will move, or exactly what His plan is. Yet, in the midst of my waiting, He is not silent!

I praise the Lord for giving me such splendid words of hope and encouragement, such feasting for my soul. A friend recently shared she was having a hard time even reading those verses of promise. I understand that. Sometimes it is hard to hear that God has a plan, to be still and wait for the Lord, or to rest under His wing. Why? Because when you're waiting for YOUR answer, your ears aren't always attuned to His voice. When we are only listening for the direct answer to our request, and when we don't hear it right away, our carnal flesh has the tendency to tune everything else out. Sometimes we even miss His voice.

"December 21, 2006 - My Anthem" is written in the margin of my Bible beside Psalm 37:4-7. "Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him and He will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun. Be still before teh Lord and wait patiently for Him..."

When I started cross-referencing this verse only recently, I found such riches!
Job 22:26-27 talks about finding delight in the Almighty, praying to Him and the promise that He will hear! Let Him be your delight. Know that your prayers do not fall on deaf ears - He hears!

Isaiah 58:14 says I will find Joy in the Lord and feast on the promised land! There is joy to be found in our Savior. He will not disappoint! Even if it is not the answer you are searching for, He still brings joy.

Jeremiah 29:13 and Isaiah 58:9 assure us He will hear and answer, "Here am I." Yes, He will answer. It may not be the answer you are looking for, but rest assured, He is there and always listening to you.

Beloved, do you know how good it is to hear His voice...even in times when you're not hearing the answer you so desperately seek?

Be still and wait patiently - one of the hardest things to do. Why do we do it? Because He will turn to you and hear your cry (Psalm 40:1). How do we do it? Finding rest in Him alone and putting our hope in Him (Psalm 62:5).

God is still speaking. He is ever-present and these 'quiet' times prove He still has something to say.

The Barnhouse Family is Growing

So the good news is our family is growing. The bad news is we don't know when. WHAT?! You may ask... Well, we are adopting. So we will officially enter the 'waiting pool' in January and we have no idea how long it will take until we become adoptive parents.

This has been a long journey. We have come to the point where we know God is leading us to adopt through the Liberty Godparent Home. As Ed says, he knew God lead him to Liberty to find his wife but had no idea this would also be the ministry God used to grow our family. We feel so blessed.

It hasn't been easy. The sheer amount of paperwork could drive a person crazy. And now the hard part is completing the album that is all about us, our lives, and who we are so that a birthmother can choose us. But soon, hopefully, it will all be worth it. Keep checking back. We'll keep you posted.