A Faith that changes

I've been writing this blog in my head for weeks, probably months, and even more so now that I've got the actual time while recovering from my ACL repair.  Why have I been avoiding this, well, because it is an emotional journey to relive and pour these thoughts into typed words, and well, it's going to bring on some tears, a flood of them more than likely.  So, here it goes....

My faith journey began from the time I was born, my parents raised my brother and I in a loving Christian home, a home where there was peace, comfort, love, grace, and everything in between.  I watched my parents lead in our church, be involved in Bible Study Fellowship, lead studies in their homes for couples in our church and in our neighborhood, I too was involved in our church; from helping in the nursery, to the library my mom got started at the church, VBS, you name it and I helped with it.  Was baptized as a baby and made my public statement of faith in confirmation, as an 8th grader.  But there was something I just couldn't grasp...I was afraid to really disobey, I was afraid my salvation wasn't set in stone, I was afraid my sinning would "undo" my salvation...I knew Jesus was my savior and I knew what HE did to save me, but I still worried...I remember laying in bed at night worrying, I remember saying in my quiet nighttime prayers that He was my savior, over and over again, why?  I have no idea.  Through the college years and beyond my faith was always there, but there was no relationship, that seemed too hard and way too time consuming.  By that point I knew that my belief in my savior was enough, anything more just seemed like too much, I was too busy with college, work, partying, work, friends, dating, graduate work, work, friends, etc.   I had Christian friends, but something was missing.

Bryan and I got married in 2010, we knew we wanted to be involved in the church but we just weren't "all in" with the idea of waking up early on Sundays and making it happen.  But then marriage got really hard, things weren't "happily ever after" and we didn't know what to do...we found ourselves at Crosstimbers in Argyle, we knew we needed to make a change, so in January of 2011 we took the "membership class" and decided to jump in with all 4 feet, my 2 feet were a little ahead of Bryan's but he was willing.

In 2012, my best friend, Brenna and I were teaching together, and we gained a new team mate, Krista. Krista, joined Brenna and I on a Pinterest craft day to make anchor posters for our classroom.  At the time, we had only met her once, I wasn't so sure what I thought, she seemed nice enough, but there was something different about her...she was involved in her church, a part of the women's ministry, raising two precious kids, and she was just different...a different I really hadn't experienced at that point in my life...she just exuded the Holy Spirit, that first day when we spent time together poster making in my garage, she told me that she just knew she was supposed to be on our team, and she just knew that she would walk beside us and welcome a baby into our little family, she just knew that she would get to throw me the best baby shower ever.  I thought, man this chick is crazy, but whatever, I knew we were going to start the adoption process but marriage had gotten hard again...I just didn't know how it would ever be in our favor.  Over the course of that year, a very unpleasant and hard year in the classroom, a harder year in marriage, but the sweetest year when it came to friends.  Krista and I shared our dream of schooling for our children, her current children and my prayed for child...it wasn't public school, and neither of us knew what or how, but we knew we weren't meant to be in the public school arena, but this was a season.

Over the course of the next two years Krista spoke so much peace into my life, small truths that probably didn't mean much at the time, but over the coming years would mean the world.  I began to be able to pray in a way that I hadn't prayed before.  I watched her through her faith peaks and valleys that year.

Krista continued to be a large influence in my faith walk, as she prayed along side me/us as we began the adoption process, along side us as we prayed for Cooper and his safe arrival, and she prayed when we couldn't during our separation from Cooper...but what really got me, was the way the Lord clearly showed her and her daughter Abby that Cooper would be ours, and how He showed other ladies that were praying along side her for us in the months before and after his arrival.  They showed up on our doorstep one Friday during our separation, and during that prayer, I experienced something I hadn't ever experienced before, a peace that was unexplainable.  Up until that point in my faith and the faith we shred as a couple, I/we really hadn't ever seen that, my faith had already been shifting, but a shift began for Bryan as well.

I had seen my parents make faith decisions, some that were hard, and I guess I never really thought twice about those, as they were my parents.  But at that point, I began to get it, she began something in my faith walk, but then she moved.  The devastating news of their leaving and moving to Arkansas ripped my heart out, we were in different phases of our lives, but she and I were bound in our faith in a way that I hadn't been bound before, and it broke my heart to know she wouldn't be 15 minutes away anymore, instead she was 5 hours away.  I hadn't cried that many tears over a friend in years, I felt like the teenager who moved from Beaumont to Dallas, leaving my friends behind, it was a hurt that I hadn't felt in a long time...and a hurt that someone else caused, because in the past I had always been the "leaver."

Her moving stirred my desire to be plugged into the mommy world even more, as up until that point I didn't have any friends that were raising a toddler in close proximity.  I was an "older" mom, my friends' kids were in elementary school, and I didn't want to do this crazy toddler time without other moms.  I began seeking out friends that would walk this path beside me, and do these crazy years together.  So, I jumped into leadership at our church in the women's ministry.  The Lord answered my prayer in many ways, he brought many amazing ladies into my life that began to walk beside me/us as we did this thing called "mommihood."  The same month Krista and her family moved, I met a new friend, by happenstance because Bryan went to service their AC.  He didn't know who they were, but when he came home and showed me the check that they paid him with, I said, " you realize that's the new teaching pastor at church?"  We got a good laugh out of it, and then began this walk alongside Laura and Nick Person and their tribe...we began to rely on their parenting tactics, as they had two in school and then Cooper's BFF, Nash.  Our weekly play dates grew a bond between two little boys that I had only dreamed would happen, I didn't want it to be a forced friendship for the little boys because the mamas were friends, and it wasn't, it was this connection that they had that was undeniable.  And then our families lives began to intertwine, and the impact they began to have on our lives became irreversible.  Healing began in my life, from our marriage, to hurts of our heart, other relationships, and so much more.  The connection that we have with them, and the way we walked our faith beside them, lifting each other up when needed and celebrating together, crying together and getting through tough stuff together, was different than we had ever experienced before.  I knew my faith was shifting even more, and Bryan's was too.  These were level 10 friends! (A level 10 friend is one who knows the ugly and dirty side of you, but loves you regardless.)

The faith they walked, and shared with us, was undeniably ordained by our Heavenly Father.  Bryan will be the first to say, he wasn't looking for new friends, I was...but I wasn't looking for what I got...I was challenged in ways I didn't think I'd be challenged since Krista left, I began jumping in to more ministries at church...we left the comfort of the Argyle campus and decided to walk alongside our friends as a new campus was being launched in Lake Cities, because we just felt like that was where God was placing us...it was hard to leave what we had known for so many years, the faces we saw weekly, the level of kids programming that was available.  Bryan was even more reluctant, but found himself being called to be apart of early morning crew to haul trailers as we are a take down/set up church, meeting in a school gym.

Our faith lives have changed so drastically over the course of the past 5 years, and even more so the past 2 years.  As I began to find myself still having fun, but staying steeped in the word, I wonder what I missed out on all those years that my faith was on the back burner, too afraid I'd miss out on "fun" and not concerned enough about what was best for my heart...I don't regret my decisions, because I know they made me into who I am now and brought me to where I am now, but I do know that if I could do it again, I'd do things a little differently.  Maybe there would have been less pain, but maybe there wouldn't have.  What I do know is that yes things are hard, and marriage will always be work, but I KNOW without a shadow of a doubt that my Savior loves me and when the day comes for me to meet Jesus face to face, my salvation is set, there is no worrying or doubting that fact any longer.

And then there was the phone call, one Saturday afternoon from Laura...the dreaded news that I knew would happen one day, I just didn't expect it to be that day...they felt the Lord calling them to be closer to their families in Atlanta, and they were more than just entertaining a move.  Insert pure devastation, how could the Lord bring them to us, bring us to this place in our friendship, and then take them away?  How would I or could I survive with out her?  We spend 5 days a week with them, we do each other's grocery shopping and errands, we babysit each other's kids, we go on double dates, we worship together every single Sunday, I have a best friend, Bryan has a best friend, Cooper has a best friend, and Cooper has two older siblings in Ava and Jax.

Then the Lord starting stirring something in my heart again...my life had changed so much and our best friends were getting ready to move, and it was necessary, a must, that Nick baptize me before he left. I couldn't imagine any other pastor baptizing me.  I had struggled with this for a while, was it betraying my Confirmation as an 8th grader?  No!  Was it going to look weird that I had been leading Bible studies for several years?  No!  But I just couldn't get the words out, i couldn't share them with anyone.  I just couldn't speak these things.  So, one day as Laura and I sat at Pei Wei, child-free, I couldn't help but cry, all of this sat on my heart, but I just couldn't spit it out.   So, I kept praying.  A few days later we headed out to Broken Bow on a framily vacation.  Laura and I drove with the gaggle of kids, while Nick and Bryan would come after church tear down.  Through many tears I got a short version of this out, and told her that I had been thinking about being baptized and I thought I wanted Nick to do it while we were at the lake.  Insert more tears.  The next morning as we sat around the breakfast table, I spit out a few words about my faith and the journey I started on with Krista and then the impact that Nick and Laura's relationship had on me and our family, and that I wanted Nick to baptize me.

So...while out on the boat one evening, Nick performed his first "floating" baptism.  So many tears had been shed, that it was just a cool moment, well and then he knocked the gimp (Pre-ACL surgery) off of her noodle.  :)  Many of you are wondering...."why hasn't she told us"...well, it wasn't something I wanted to make a big deal of, and here it is.  Here is the why, here is the how...and here we are heartbroken over the upcoming move of our friends, friends that we couldn't imagine walking beside through this thing called life, but friends we are ever thankful walked this season beside us in Denton, Texas.

Why do I write this big huge blog?  I want you to know that the importance of friends is vital!  The value of a friendship that is steeped in faith is life changing.  Just when we thought we didn't need more friends, new ones were thrown into our laps and changed the trajectory of our family, faith, and friendships to come.

I am thankful for the level 10 friends that have been along side me for years...from college roommate Brit, Krista, to my adoptive mamma bestie Shelby, Natalie/Mimi and for friends yet to come.  And for our couple level 10 friends that have walked beside us for years, The Newmans.  I'm amazed at how each of these deep relationships have special parts in our lives, feed us in different ways, and meet needs when we didn't know needed to be met.

I pray you too have level 10 friends.  Friends that have seen your dirty laundry and love you regardless.  

got hope?

This blog has whirled around and around in my head for quite some time...and I'm finally able to sit down and write, not because my to do list is done...I'm actually procrastinating finishing up our taxes...but because today, while Cooper was napping, I watched "Mom's Night Out"and realized I have even more to say now!  (Sidebar...if you are a mommy, YOU MUST SEE THIS MOVIE...it was just what I needed today, in this temporary season of illness in our home!)

For more years than I can even begin to count, I longed to be a mommy.  I didn't know when or how but I knew that was one of the main reasons for my time on this Earth.  I never imagined I wouldn't be a mom until I was almost 36 years old, now looking back, I wouldn't change that for anything.  I/we had a full life before Cooper...and now it's even more full.  It's not easy, I didn't expect it to be...but man, my "mommy moments" are the pits!  I've had a few over the past week as Cooper has had RSV and now Bryan and I both have "adult" RSV...all I want to do is sleep...and we have a child who does not like to sleep.   I don't know when Cooper will be better, I pray it's not 4-6 weeks away, I know that I'm on the mend, Bryan is on the mend...and I know that our Heavenly Father has it in His timing...yeah, I know a sticky note on the side of my bed would be nice...just a count down, how many more wake up days, etc...but that's not going to happen, so I'll enjoy every minute that I can of my snotty snuggles!  I do know that I have faith and that's what gets me through day by day, moment by moment, heartache to heartache, celebration to celebration.

For those of you who know me well, you know I LOVE TATTOOS!  I watch Fast and Loud with Bryan simply because I love Richard's tats, I would have sleeves if I weren't a teacher or if my arms weren't quite so jiggly.  I have multiple tats, I don't just tat just to tat, I plan, I have meaning behind EVERY tattoo that I get.  Needless to say, I've planned for 2-3 years for my recent art work I had done.  I knew once we had adopted I wanted something that meant something for the journey we walked...a year ago, I had no idea what that journey would be.  A year ago yesterday, the 13th, we met our birthmom, attended the sonogram to find out it was going to be a boy...we left there knowing that would be our baby and we couldn't wait.  We NEVER lived in fear, and well, adoption is down right scary...you put your heart on the line, you put your finances on the line, you have your lives invaded to please the social workers, but we NEVER wavered.

Last spring my verse was Romans 8:28 - "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."  We had faith that the baby she was carrying we would love, and she would love, we would all love him together.

During our time in Austin at his delivery and things were HARD, emotional, heart-breaking, we still had hope.  Somewhere along the line of my devotions during that time, I stumbled upon Hebrews 11:1, and marked it with "my baby" - Faith in Action - "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see."  We couldn't see the light at the end of the tunnel, but we knew it was there, we knew it would come to us, in His timing...as freaking hard as that was, we stood firm in the belief that the Lord planned for us to raise Cooper and that we were to love his birth mama, like she was a part of our family.

Obviously, it worked out...in His timing...Bryan and I had a month apart from him, a month to grow in our faith even more, a month to be mad, a month to fight, and a month to love each other fiercely.

Our pastor, Toby, has spoken to me over and over again through his messages....so many about how our hope and faith are intertwined.  In talking about how we are "messes" he pointed out that our spirituality is not defined by our lack of messes, it's about our connection with our Savior, messes are where the real Jesus meets the real US!  Toby reminded us that the hope of Jesus, isn't about wishing for something, it's a reminder that HIS promises are coming, and our hope in HIM is what sustains us. Our Father's hope is consistent, He is our living hope.  Each of us have our own story, our story is about the work of God in our lives, we need to let go of the pen and let HIM write our story, he will write the best story imaginable.  We just have to be willing to walk where HE leads us, when we step out of our old ways and in to HIS ways he will make all things new.  If we are faithful in the little things, he will do big things...bigger things will be done when we live for others, seeing what God will do for others, not what God will do for us. The heart of Jesus is to move in people's lives, He wants to bring healing to hurt lives...we each live that on a daily basis.  Life isn't all roses and chocolates, our faith is sharpened while we are in the fire.  Faith involves surrender, faith involves willingness to die, sometimes our dreams die because God's dreams are bigger for our lives.   Our God always has our best interest at heart, He just needs us to trust him, have faith in him, have hope through him.

Toby challenged us a few weeks ago to have an alter in our lives, as a reminder to what God will do for us...to remember the importance of faith decisions - just like Abraham and Isaac.  We are to surround ourselves with a spiritual legacy.  The day he spoke that, was the day I had my tattoo done...I'm now wearing my alter, my constant reminder of how without our faith, we have no hope!

Years in the planning and I couldn't be more happy with the outcome...now for the last bit to heal in the center of the cross.

I pray that you too know HIS hope, HIS peace, HIS strength.  If you are looking for that hope, check out Toby's messages at http://crosstimberschurch.org/  All of Toby's messages are on the website, we promise you won't be disappointed, it won't be a waste of your time, you WILL hear a message of HOPE!

All my love,
Jessica

18 years of grief brings pure JOY this holiday season

18 years ago my mountain of grief began when the doctors said if I wanted to carry my own child I needed to start then.  Fast forward to my 25th birthday (11 years ago) and the future of my child-bearing was just as grim.  Fast forward to 7 years ago, I just turned 29, was single and my hysterectomy was on the horizon...I was grieving my safety after my break in, I was living on pain killers to survive daily life....I had spent the past 11 years knowing that if my "prince" didn't arrive, I would have to make this terrible decision all by myself...or so I felt.

"I know who goes before me, I know who stands behind, The God of angel armies, is always by my side.."

I always knew there was a plan...it had been our family verse since we moved to Dallas in the early 1990's...Jeremiah 29:11...it was a vivid verse in my head...but yet I didn't understand why my baby brother was marrying before I was....he would more than likely have kids before I would...how would I handle that?  The grief of losing that part of me was devastating...yet I did my best to put on a strong face.  Friends having children was hard.  I wanted to strangle anyone who complained about being pregnant, getting fat, or anything related to pregnancy...I wanted to scream....BE THANKFUL you CAN BE pregnant & get fat!  I was lucky to have an amazing counselor as I healed from my break in, in May 2007...as she helped me work through my ultimate hysterectomy decision for January 2008 and then as I worked through knowing my brother would marry in June 2008...one thing she told me in regards to his wedding and friends having children....do things for them and their special days that you would want done for you when you get married or have kids....  That was a saving grace for me!  The grief was still real, but after my surgery and my hormone change, I changed....I "evened" out I guess would be a good way to put it.  My healing became easier.

Fast forward to April 2011 when my brother and sister in law told us they were pregnant...the time stands very vivid in my mind....we were at the Rangers game for Judd's birthday, I sat between Lori and Bryan...I was so excited, yet so hurt...the nasty part of grief raised his ugly head on the most exciting news in our family...I don't know what was harder....knowing they were pregnant or knowing Bryan and I were so far from being parents and actually beginning the discussions of finances in regards to adoption....after the game my dear friend Caleb, gave me the biggest hug...he may not realize what that hug meant, but I knew he knew....He knew that was tough news, but yet exciting news.  For the next months I struggled emotionally, struggled with the excitement for them, finally getting to be an Aunt to a Steger....but the hurt was SO REAL.

The coming arrival of Knox crept closer and then the call came....head to the hospital....I was so blessed to have been able to have been in the hospital room with Lori during her labor, up until she had to go back for the c-section since Knox wasn't going to arrive without some help.  That day is so vivid in my mind....waiting....and then watching Knox rolled out and into the nursery with Judd while they bathed him, weighed him, and all those exciting things.  The whole family stood in the window watching....I was so excited, yet so hurt....I LOVED watching my brother be a Dad...and I love that little boy like he was mine....the love I felt the first time I held him was overwhelming.  We had prayed and prayed for him, I had cried and cried for him, for my jealousy to not be apparent.  I remember hugging my mom and just crying about how I wouldn't get to do that.  I wouldn't get to be at the hospital when my baby was born.  I wouldn't get to do all those things they were getting to do and it just wasn't fair!  It was a growing time in our marriage, we weren't ready to be parents together, and that hurt too...I was ready, he was ready but WE weren't ready!  December 6, 2011 will forever be etched in my heart as the best and worst day for my grief!  Over the past 3 years we have loved this little boy so much, we love our time with him, love watching him grow in his child-like faith.

"And nothing formed against me shall stand, you hold the whole world in your hands, I'm holding on to your promises, you are faithful...."

Fast forward to Cooper's arrival....we did get to be there, we got to be at the sonogram, we got to see pictures, we got to get to know his birth mom, we got to do ALL THE THINGS I  had grieved I would never get to do for all those years!  Once again, HIS plan is WAY better than ours!

This brings me to the past 2 months....Lori and Judd welcomed baby Case Judd into the world on October 25th....the week leading up to his arrival, was my "light bulb" moment realizing the change in my grief....I was no longer sad about not giving birth to my son...I was no longer sad in anyway about his birth or what they would get to do that I didn't get to do....because I got to do everything...well, everything except have a reason to eat ice cream and Oreos all the time and get fat...I did that on my own with no excuse other than emotions...  :)  I realized that the Lord had walked us down the path to parenthood that we needed...we needed to learn  a few things about each other, our relationship, the Lord, some friends good and bad, there were some new people we needed in our lives, and most of all we needed Cooper and Cooper needed us.  Arriving at the hospital the morning of Case's birth....I was so anxious about his arrival, looking forward to being there right after, taking lots of pictures and celebrating....now that didn't all go as we had hoped, we didn't get to see him for several hours...thanks to the Ebola scare we couldn't be back there after....but once they were in the room we all piled in....had this had happened prior to Cooper, a year ago...this would have been devastating to me....because I still love to do for others like I would want done for me...especially when it comes to babies!

The most beautiful thing was realizing I have overcome my grief....it doesn't make me sad, I don't feel like I missed out on anything, and the pure joy is exhilarating!  And even better...Cooper has a cousin 4 months younger than him!!!

Yesterday, we celebrated our sweet Knox's 3rd birthday!

I/We still love that little boy like he's ours, and we love Case just as much!  He brings SO much joy to our lives, joy he's brought since the day he was born!  I love his feisty little spirit, his love for the Lord, his giggle, the way he runs to Bryan when he sees him. his love for books, his love for Cooper and Case...and even more so the way his parents are raising him is such an example for how we want to raise Cooper.

Today is church we sang the Chris Tomlin song..."Whom shall I fear" and I shed a few tears as Cooper was sleeping in my baby wrap on my chest....knowing that this blog has been floating around in my brain since October 25th when I realized I had FINALLY overcome my grief!  The peace that surrounds this time of the year is not something I just say this year...we actually feel it, for the first time ever!

I pray you find the true MAGIC of Christmas this joyous season!

2014 National Adoption Month Instagram Posts

November is National Adoption month! How has adoption impacted me? 18 years ago I was told I'd probably never have my own children...a tough pill to swallow at 18, that "came true" January 2008 and if it weren't for adoption I wouldn't have this little guy to love! The road was full of bumps, bruises, tears and healing...and I'd do it all over again! Thanks@mixed__beautifully for this challenge! #cooperkenneth #adoptionlove #adoptionrocks #thereisanothertagbuticantrememberit #knittogethersomethingorother

Day two of #knittogetherbyadoption -step one - our step one initially was walking towards foster care, feeling that was where The Lord was leading us. We attended our first meeting a year ago this month but it took us until January to pick the agency we would use...we picked our agency, registered for our classes...and then it all changed! #adoptionlove #adoptionrocks #cooperkenneth #blessedbyadoption #openadoption

Day 3 - Education - #knittogetherbyadoption - there is no better education than learning your child's needs and cues, no class can prepare you for how your child will develop. Learn together! Grow together! Use your community resources to aid in your learning. Lean on your support system. Be open to change. Know things don't go the way you want but the way our Heavenly Father plans them. Pray a lot! Love your added blessing! #cooperkenneth #adoptionlove #adoptionrocks #openadoption

Day 4 - family photo - #knittogetherbyadoption - no tribe just the 3 of us and the dog. I would love more, some day if the door opens again (my dream is an orphan Ugandan), but for now we are beyond thankful for our baby Cooper, our super trooper! #adoptionlove #adoptionrocks #cooperkenneth #blessedbyadoption

Day 5 - anticipation - #knittogetherbyadoption - I LOVE Christmas, our little 1200sq ft house explodes at Christmas.....last Christmas we said...this 'could' be our last Christmas just the two of us...we had no idea about the call we would get in February...meeting birth mom for the sono...finding out baby was a boy...hearing his heartbeat...seeing him on the screen...having a peace knowing that baby would be ours....unsure of what our open adoption would look like...a little scared but more excited! As the weeks pressed on my anticipation turned into concern for our birth mom's complications, I knew our little guy would be okay, but would his tummy mummy be ok? Planning his perfect room, sorting through names, reassuring friends and family that it was okay for us to get ready for him...he would be ours...our original due date of July 17 was bumped to June, then May 22 to keep mom and baby safe...waiting in the waiting room to hear that they were both ok....all those feelings were happy anticipation, not filled with worry...Bryan worried, I didn't...I had a peace that could only come from above, my faith had grown so much over the past year....he arrived and then my fear hit and Bryan's peace set in....little did we know the road of sheer joy and then devastation we would encounter in the coming weeks! #adoptionlove #adoptionrocks #blessedbyadoption #openadoption #cooperkenneth #nationaladoptionmonth

Day 6 - Prayer- #knittogetherbyadoption - this precious picture was taken at Cooper' dedication...my two nephews were tucked down in Cooper's car seat while we got dinner ready, I snuck around to get a picture and realized Knox was praying with Nolan and Cooper. *tears* that's just a small snippet of how prayer has played a roll in our miracle baby - but the most memorable prayers took place without any of us present - 4 Godly ladies that I used to teach with would gather and pray every day after school from the time Cooper was born - The Lord clearly speaking to each of them the afternoon we lost our custody of Cooper, mid prayer The Lord changed their prayer from comforting us to guiding us as we don't just let go, that he Lord promised Cooper to us and He be ours, all in God's timing. We were home from NICU for 3 weeks before they came to pray over us and share this with us. One week later, a new attorney & birth mom's help that prayer was answered and we had our little guy back!! - there was a lot of emotion as we gained our access back to NICU - another prayer answered was that his angel nurse, Jenn, who was with him and us the night he was born had stayed with him the 4 weeks we were gone, loving him a little extra, telling him about us...even though she had no idea if or when we'd be back! Our sweet Jenn was with us our last night and many many tears were shed as her shift ended but that didn't end the friendship and the connection we have with her! The night after we left was her last shift and she moved north! *tears* Cooper's onesie at dedication says "I am an answer to prayers" some day he will understand the magnitude of that outfit for his dedication! #adoptionlove #adoptionrocks #blessedbyadoption #cooperkenneth #coopersdedication #cousinsarethebest #answertoprayer

Day 7 - documentation - #knittogetherbyadoption - todays's topic is fitting since I'm at a craft retreat working on scrapbooks...I've been a life journaler (aka scrapbook FANATIC) for 14 years....and even more so for our sweet boy! I journal often and chronicle everything in his scrapbooks...yes, books plural! Cooper knowing his story when the time is right is so important! I began "adoption" journaling through my blog...writing is healing, writing is therapy, I can't wait to see how the ret of our story goes! #adoptionlove #adoptionrocks #blessedbyadoption #cooperkenneth #scrapbookaddict #stampinup #stampinupdemonstrator

Day 8 - speaking out - #knittogetherbyadoption - my life, my struggles, my journey have been an open book..how else can we show others the miracles of our savior? I've learned so much about myself when I openly share. My story has helped others. Sharing my view point, my struggle with deciding to go ahead with my hysterectomy before my Prince Charming arrived wasn't the most popular idea among many of my friends and family but they didn't live in the constant pain I had lived in for 13 years....and now with adoption, my heart with hating with others is even greater! And now with this adoption community I'm so blessed to read about others journey through open adoption and how strongly we feel (despite what others around us think) about Cooper being a huge part of his biological family's life...we wouldn't have him if it weren't for them. Am I fearful about it? No! Do I worry about hurting him? No, because I know that we won't put him in situations where the hurt will be intentional. Will he always understand how loved he was? Yes! He will know how we fought for him, along side his biological family because they wanted him to be with us. Will it e easy, nope...nothing in my life has been "easy"....my best friend was praying for us at the beginning of this process and she told me her selfish prayer was for our process to be "easy".... It wasn't easy, but it was exactly what God wanted it to be. A test of our faith and His demonstration of faithfulness to us, His children! #adoptionlove #adoptionrocks #blessedbyadoption #cooperkenneth #openadoption

Day 9 - Happy World Adoption Day - #knittogetherbyadoption - there is nothing in this world I wouldn't do for this little man! He is the biggest blessing! The most loved little guy! His Godstory has already affected many, he will continue to do so! Amazing Grace! #cooperkenneth #adoptionlove #adoptionrocks #blessedbyadoption #worldadoptionday

Day 10 - birth - #knittogetherbyadoption - this is a sweet picture of Cooper's birth mama with him in NICU a day after he was born. She shared her time with him with us those first few days. The joy and pain in brought to all of us was life changing, but we wouldn't trade it for anything. The love his has for him is extraordinarily special. We were lucky to have been there along side her. It may not have gone as we had hoped at the 48 hour mark, but how does one expect it to be easy for a birth mom to "walk away?" We shouldn't expect it to. As I was hurt that it didn't go as we hoped, she was hurting more....from the very beginning we said we wanted what was best for her, because her long term well being is just as important as Cooper's well being. She named him a name that was special and we will always honor that, he will know that the love she has for him is huge, the sacrifice she made is the biggest and hardest gift anyone will ever give us! We ❤️our tummy mummy very much! #blessedbyadoption #cooperkenneth #adoptionlove #adoptionrocks

Day 11 - remember - #knittogetherbyadoption - I have thought and thought about this one.....we need to remember who to give the glory to for this bundle....we remember life before we had him and it just doesn't begin to compare....I want to remember every change, all his growth, so some day I can share it with his tummy mummy. I email her every few weeks pictures, knowing she may or may not look at it now, but she will when she's ready. I scrapbook (digitally thankfully) every thing I can, I write down the mile stones and our feelings....he may not remember but he will know how loved he is! #adoptionlove #adoptionrocks #cooperkenneth #openadoption #blessedbyadoption

Day 12 & 13 - #knittogetherbyadoption - describe it & caseworker lumped in to one - when we knew the little guy was to be ours we thought the process would be easy...found a "great" attorney, learned how different an independent adoption is without an agency....what we didn't expect was for our first attorney to tuck his tail when things got complicated. Even the social worker wasn't standing her ground To help us. We were lied to by our attorney and taken advantage of...and all we could do was pray that the right people were taking care if him in NICU and that he would not be released until the mess was sorted out. The longest, toughest month of our life....after being told to "just wait it out, wait for _____ or _______" to happen and then we will take action. Screw that! Do your job and fight for us...you won't...okay fine, you are fired and we will find someone who will help us. A long road to the RIGHT attorney and the right social worker...but they gave us the info we needed, the info birth mom and her sis needed to take action to help us get our little guy back...a week later we had seen a judge, moms rights terminated and we were guardians...still waiting on paternity registry, attorney ready to go to battle against "paternity" but The Lord of course had his hand in it all....no battle necessary, our battle had been fought and won! Praise The Lord! Cooper will always know how we fought with his tummy mummy to get him back! The love we have for her is so immense! The strength we now have was worth the struggle, and he is worth it! #openadoption #cooperkenneth #adoptionlove #adoptionrocks

Day 14- choosing your battles - #knittogetherbyadoption - whatever the battle may be...you do what's in the best interest of the child! Hence why we didn't give up fighting for what was best for this smiley little guy! Battles aren't easy but the children are worth every second! #cooperkenneth #adoptionlove #adoptionrocks #blessedbyadoption #openadoption

Day 15 - #knittogetherbyadoption - education - having been a teacher for ten years, many kiddos asked me why I was never pregnant, why I didn't have a baby....as time went by it got easier to say that years ago my insides were "sick" and I can't have a baby but that we would adopt a baby one day....being open in that way to my students is the reason we have Cooper! I taught Cooper's biological cousin in 3rd grade, I went from Mrs. Cozens to Aunt Jess! --- being open with my students was always important to me, of course I never went in to detail, but my hysterectomy was ever a secret, never taboo, the parents of my students asked...if they asked about my career goals it was an open conversation that we would adopt and it was important to us for me to be home, but that I would work from home. -- when it came to explaining to our nieces when we learned about Cooper we used the book "The Tummy Mummy" a great folk tale type story, showing the love on both sides. As our nephews grow up along side Cooper talk of adoption will always be open! -- when Cooper is of school age, I'm not sure what that will look like, preferably not a traditional school, but only The Lord knows that answer, whatever it may be, the dialogue will be open and there will be lots of love spoken in regards to adoption and his birth family. Plus we are lucky to be close to his bio aunt/uncle/cousins! #blessedbyadoption #openadoption #adoptionlove #adoptionrocks #cooperkenneth

Day 16 - #knittogetherbyadoption - quote - as we started the adoption process this scripture was in a study I was doing by @priscillashirer and it spoke to me over and over again. Now I'm waiting on my tattoo artist to create it for my tattoo to represent this journey in our lives. #adoptionlove #adoptionrocks #blessedbyadoption #cooperkenneth

World Premature Day and Day 17 - if you really knew me - #knittogetherbyadoption - here was our little guy the day he graduated from NICU! His first 5 weeks there was his angels keeping him there until we could officially be his mom and dad! - if you really knew me....that's hard because I'm an open book....I didn't know that our time (the first 5 days and his last 7 days of his 6 week stay) in NICU would be a breeze. The beeping, cords, blood work, doctors, nurses did not phase me.... If you really knew me you would know how hard it was for me to let go and not worry! #adoptionlove #adoptionrocks #cooperkenneth #nicugraduate #worldprematureday #blessedbyadoption

I didn't know it was Preemie Day until a little bit ago! I wore purple today without planning it! Hard to believe this sleeping babe was born at 32 weeks and will be 6 months on Saturday! #sweetbaby #cooperkenneth #nicubaby #nicugraduate #slowdown #blessedbyadoption

It's finally here!!!! Day 19 - rights - day 20 - men - #knittogetherbyadoption - first of all serious happy tears over the arrival of Coop's birth certificate. Adoption rights...for many many years I prepared myself for the process of adoption...it's hard to think that as long as your uterus works you can have a baby....but if your uterus doesn't work you get to have your life invaded to see if you are "fit" to be a parent & raise a child. Now I get that it's a woman's right to have a child, and I get that what adoptive families go through is keeping kids safe, but still! What if every OB/GYN and pregnancy center made every expectant family go through what we go through? Would our foster care programs change because CPS would be involved sooner? You may say that invades the rights of the pregnant woman... But what would it really do to protect the kids?? The topic of men then falls into place...we "lost" Cooper for 4 weeks due to a "bio-dad" wanting to claim he wanted Cooper, when in all reality he just wanted to use him as his pawn....but the hospital took our rights away because this man came forward claiming to be dad....in those 4 weeks the hospital had reported him ("dad") to CPS....but yet Cooper was scheduled to leave the hospital with this "dad"...who never changed his diaper, fed him, never spent more than 10 minutes at a time with him and didn't hold him... Then when he was removed from the hospital for family violence and his name was legally removed from the claim of paternity (a birth mom's right to do) he called the nurse and said he was leaving! And you "wanted" your child? He did nothing to earn the right to be a dad! Being a dad is so much more than donating your sperm! We thank God every day for his birth mom and her fight to do what was in the best interest of her and her child! #openadoption #cooperkenneth #adoptionlove #adoptionrocks #blessedbyadoption

Day 20 - unique - #knittogetherbyadoption - today is unique in our family as it's Cooper's Mama Maria's birthday! Right now our only communication is via email....as she heals her heart. I wish I could call her, send her flowers and spoil her for the gift she gave us is far more than I can ever begin to repay! We pray that she is reading our emails and feels how much we love her! All of this is what makes adoption unique...our situation is different than my dear friend Shelby's adoption @theshelbsmg, our adoption is unique compared to what we thought it would be! Each of our adoptions are special and hold/will hold it's own challenges, but that's what makes adoption so beautiful!!! #cooperkenneth #openadoption #adoptionlove #adoptionrocks #weloveourtummymummysomuch #blessedbyadoption

Day 21 -screen time & day 22- DNA- #knittogetherbyadoption This little nugget of entertainment is 6 months old today! If only we knew what what adventure was to come and still yet to come! - in regards to screen time I guess I would say my favorite is The Blind Side...a true testament that to be family you don't have to match, you don't have to share blood, and you don't have to come to be a part of the family as a baby. DNA is just a part of us, it does not define us and is not our single make up of who we are! Our definition is formed in Christ, this little fella of personality has an incredible God-story and we can't wait to see what He has in store for our sweet Super Cooper Trooper! #adoptionlove #adoptionrocks #blessedbyadoption #openadoption #cooperkenneth #somuchattitudeandheisonly6months

Day 23 - then & now - #knittogetherbyadoption - Cooper was 5 weeks old when we finally had our court order of legal guardianship, we were 1 week away from getting out of NICU. And now 6 months old! Hard to believe how fast time has flown! #slowdown #sleepyboy #adoptionlove #adoptionrocks #blessedbyadoption #cooperkenneth #lovehisCHEEKS

Day 24 - adoption outfit(s) of the day- #knittogetherbyadoption - Cooper needed special outfits for Adoption Day and Baby Dedication so I had these made for those occasions! Do you see the typo? It sat on the back of our couch for days while we admired it and NEVER noticed, a friend ended up pointing it out. Typo or no typo we LOVE them! The one outfit I regret not getting a specific picture of was the "mommy" onesie his nurse Jen put him in the day we gained our access back in to NICU. 😞 oh well, we have the memory! #nicugraduate #adoptionlove #adoptionrocks #cooperkenneth #adoptionoutfits

Day 25 - strange things people say & day 26 - finalization day - #knittogetherbyadoption - for me the strange things people say has been minimal...mostly it's in regards to our open adoption...something we wanted from the get go....we NEEDED to know they would be around, we let go of that worry a long time ago, to do what would be best for Cooper.....but some say....aren't you afraid his bio family will come take him from you? Or "you leave him at their house and leave?" Well, yes, yes we do! They fought along side us for us to be together! So no, I'm not worried they will take him...they can't, he's ours! And yes, they babysit, he's their family too! They are our family too! --- our finalization day was just 2 months ago and was so special...and yes, his bio- aunt was there, standing by us as it became official. We were blessed to be surrounded by those that love us in the courtroom! #openadoption #adoptionrocks #adoptionlove #cooperkenneth

Day 27 - validation - #knittogetherbyadoption - Happy Thanksgiving - this dear dear friend@britbritster was the first friend phone call I made after we got the call about Cooper! I needed someone to cry with me...and someone to pray...and someone to tell me it was okay to be hopeful that this was to be our baby!! My Pretty Brity has had an incredible impact on my faith walk, so today, she is my validation for a huge part of our walk! Being able to spend time together at the Turkey Trot 5K was super special! #adoptionlove #adoptionrocks #cooperkenneth #firstturkeytrot #blessedbyadoption #loveher

Day 28 - World Wide Web - #knittogetherbyadoption - in 2012 my dear friend Jenn @robifer10 told me I needed to check out Lisa's @lisadodson79 blog about adoption. I knew who Lisa was from my two years of high school in Beaumont but didn't really know her...so I felt a little creepy reading her entire blog. I spent many nights crying as I read all the way back to the start..... I was reading the thoughts and feelings that I felt and could not vocalize easily. After I finished I sent her a message...after awhile we connected....they moved to the Dallas area and now we have this incredible friendship! Chase and Lisa shared with us their walk and emotions, which was great to hear! We are super blessed to have them in our lives!!! #adoptionlove #adoptionrocks #foreverfriends #blessedbyadoption

Day 29 - closure - #knittogetherbyadoption - I've read so many other's posts, connected with so many other open adoption families, it warms my heart to read about their journeys....with open adoption there isn't necessarily closure. There was closure to hurt feelings and what we thought was betrayal, but that was pure forgiveness...forget and move on. If that's closure...then so be it. We had closure to our long wait to become parents. We were lucky to avoid dealing with an agency. We had closure as we fired our first attorney, who happily took our money for not doing his job....and we very gladly moved on to our amazing attorney to helped us get closure to our separation from Cooper in NICU. I do look forward to a little bit of "closure" on only getting 3-4 hours if sleep at a time at night. And "closure" to not taking naps during the day would've fabulous! 😋 #adoptionlove #adoptionrocks #blessedbyadoption #openadoption #cooperkenneth #6monthpictures

Day 30- next step - #knittogetherbyadoption - our next steps....raise a Godly son who is kind to others and loves The Lord and feels loved by all of his family! Beyond that, only the man upstairs has the insight into that! I used to say a sticky note beside my bed would be great, but nah! I'm good with Him revealing himself when He feels fitting! #adoptionlove #adoptionrocks #blessedbyadoption #theendofnationaladoptionmonth #nationaladoptionmonth #cooperkenneth

aDoPTiOn DaY

Time sure does fly....3 months ago on the 25th we gained our temporary custody of Cooper and today we stood before a judge with 18 friends and family standing behind us, to change our temporary custody to FINAL ADOPTION!  What a road it has been...I feel like I should have some profound words to say, but instead, I'm going to steal what a good friend, Cristy S., posted on a Facebook post about today for us....

"I remember the day Jessica told me that she and Brian were going to be parents. A dream that the two of them had carried and fought for. A dreamed that at times seemed as if it would go unfulfilled. I remember the giddy, bouncy way she chatted along sharing her excitement, it was contagious! It wasn't always that perfect, but there were moments when Gods hand reached down and held her and Brian and Cooper and protected them and led them and favored them. And in the moment where it seemed all was lost and everything was for nothing, God moved like a mighty river and changed their eternity. What joy we felt when He prevailed for them! What awe and joy and deep emotions that there are no words for. What tears we wept for this bright boy and these precious new parents! And today, the journey begins anew, for though in the eyes of God, Brian and Jess have always been Coopers mom and dad, today, man recognized what God had done. Brian and Jess . . . May your lifetime be full of Gods handiwork, his blessing and favor and opportunities to honor Him and bring Him glory!!!!"

Today as we drove to the court house I couldn't shut the water works off, and the message from our NICU nurse was the icing on the drive...we love you Jen!!  And then as we stood before the judge and our attorney (David Joyce...in Dallas...look him up if you need a PHENOMENAL adoption attorney!) emotion overcame both of us.  We are so blessed to have had our family "completed" by our sweet baby Cooper! 

Here are just a few pictures from our fabulous day! 

Our Cooper was CHOSEN!

 Signing our portion of the adoption paperwork prior to going before the judge.

PURE EMOTION!!!!

 Introducing Cooper Kenneth Cozens!

We are so blessed to have been surrounded by our family and friends today! 

Cooper's Gran and Pops and Oma and Opa!

 With our siblings!

 The Newman's

 The Burris'

 Cooper's Aunt Mai

 Aunt Lynnsey

 Our Attorney, David Joyce...not sure what's up with the face I'm making :)

 My dear friend Meagan, thanks to her we have all these fabulous photos!

 Cooper and his crazy Uncle Judd...his Godparents!

 Cooper's Godparents Brenna & Derek

 Knox was needing some Aunt Jess love...he didn't like that Ellie was so close and Cooper was being held, so he had to climb on my lap at breakfast after court.

 

BEYOND BLESSED! 

What a journey this has been and we are so excited to see the rest of our journey unfold!

 

Romans 8:28!