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Welcome dkstimes! It sounds as if you have a wealth of experience to share. I look forward to getting to know you better here on this forum and know that you will be a blessing to others!

:D Your just an awesome person, dkstimes! God has seen you through so much! Your a great testimony on not giving up and God's wonderful grace! Your children and families are very blessed to have you in their lives as well. The open adoptions are great! Sometimes it's hard to be a waiting empty vessle in the hands of God, but when He does fill us, His blessings do overflow! Can you honestly say that seven years ago, you would be thanking God the way you are today? I know I wouldn't. But I wouldn't trade this adoption journey for anything. I have found more brothers and sisters in Christ, than I ever would of thought possible. Welcome to these boards! Holly

Thank you for your kind words! Yes 7 years ago I was saying "thank you Jesus for making me the vessel that I am" only because at that point in my life we had already been blessed with 6 of our 7 children. We have been involved in adoption for 20 of our 26 years of marriage. But I can honestly say that it took many years before I realized the awesome plan that God had in mind to use us as we had so many times prayed and still continue to pray to this very day. I am so thankful that I was able to see His plan and know that with each adoption plan He was in control and was going to work a miracle in our lives through adoption. When I ponder all that He has done in our lives through adoption I stand in amazement that He chose us to parent these beautiful little ones and gave us the spirit to love not just the gift of the baby being placed in our arms but to love and appreciate the wonderful vessel He used to grow this precious little life. The God we serve is so AWESOME!!! The one bit of wisdom we try to share with those just starting in the adoption process is to form a relationship with God and let Him work the miracle in your life that He has in store for you. We prayed continually that God would give us patience as we waited for our life to be blessed with children. Be careful about that patience thing....we were so dilligent in our desires for patience in waiting that he gave us 4 newborns in a matter of 7 years!! HMMMMM......there's that number 7 again! We waited 7 years for our first baby and have 7 healthy children!! I could go on for hours and days about how God has blessed us and how we hope to be blessed and used by Him for the rest of our earthly lives! On 7/3/02 we had an adoption fall through but even through that we trust that God has something in store for us and we are back to praying for patience and His wisdom to show us what He has for us! At any rate thanks for your kind words and may God continue to bless you!! In His service, Deb

Hi Deb, So great to read your most wonderful testimony on how God has worked in and through your lives in adoption. It sounds like you have a most precious family formed by the Heavenly Father. My heart is warmed as an adoptee to hear the joy that resounds in your post! I was truly blessed with a wonderful adoption and a godly mother who nutured me with unconditinal love. She is almost 80- but is going strong and has the mind and energy and gift of serving others still! She foster parented 18 children in her younger years before my sister and I were born. Though God has chosen for us to live apart as adults- we talk every couple days on the phone and see each other several times a year! You might want to consider sending a short article on your adoption testimony- highlighting God's hand and grace and blessings- to the newsletter I edit and send out by US mail - Adoption Blessings. Jody Moreen - May the Lord bless and keep your family and may He continue be glorified in your home! [url]http://www.adoptionblessingsnewsletter.com:[/url])