Announcement...

We are excited to announce that Baby #3 will be arriving at the Grimes home in about a year, by way of Ethiopia!

We have spent the last two years or so thinking, praying, and talking about adoption, and it is God's time for us to take the plunge! We feel like it is a precious way to expand our family. We chose Ethiopia first, because of the great need there and secondly because Dan has always felt a special connection to Africa (I have always felt a special connection to babies :). The process will take about a year (or longer) before we can travel to Africa, spend about a week in Addis Ababa, and then finally bring baby home! We will not know boy/girl for about 3-6 months. We are requesting an infant; most babes arrive home at about 10 months old.

I (Shadley) will answer here some of the questions I have already received:

1. Why not domestic adoption?

I totally understand this question, and all I can say is that we are open to what God has for us. We know there are many children in this country in need of homes. We don't know why God has led us to this international process and both Dan and I are unified in the decision and we trust His plan. We feel like a home for any child is a good thing and that we are blessed to be able to provide it.

2. What about the racial difference?

We will be white parents raising a black child. We know this. We do not claim to know everything about this, however. We are committed to being the best parents we can be and to providing every resource (whether spiritual, emotional, physical or otherwise) we can to help our child become a well-adjusted human being who is proud of the way God has created him or her. We know we have lots to learn and we are open to learning it. I am blessed to have different races represented in my family and to have parents, in-laws, siblings, grandparents, and friends who are excited about this journey as well.

3. How do you afford it?

Since we know that this is God's plan for us, we are trusting He will bring the money. We have thought it through and we know that we can do it, though we are asking God to show us His will for the financial part of this.

4. What about the health of the child?

I would be lying to say I haven't worried about this. Hepatitis, HIV and other diseases are rampant in Ethiopia and many countries around the world. Our child will be tested for these diseases and others, and his/her medical information will be made known to us before we accept a referral. Beyond that, we trust God for who He has created for our family. We do not get any "health information" on any children we conceive on our own, nor do we get guarantees on the lives or health of any of our children. Children of Ethiopia, including orphans, are considered healthy by developing countries' standards. Most of the children available for adoption into the U.S. are malnourished and have developmental delays that resolve themselves as soon as sufficient nutrition is available.

5. What do the girls think of all this?

Eden prays each night for the baby and is so excited to "Dopt a Baby." She did come to us teary-eyed one night asking if we were going to "adopt her out." There were tears on both sides as we explained to her that this would never happen. We are trying to just give them as much information as they need at this age and not overwhelm them with details. They are excited though, and Eden has told everyone she can get to listen to her--the lady at Pizza Ranch, her carpool driver, our elderly neighbors, etc.

6. What about your blog? It's called "Eden and Elly."

Yeah, I know. I have already reserved a new blog url so that we can expand our family blog. I will also start a new blog documenting our adoption process so you can check in to see how it's going. I will post that as soon as it is up and running.

7. Are you just doing this because Angelina and Brad did?

Okay, so this isn't a real question, but if any of you need to hear us say it: Uh, NO.

:)

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So I have blathered on about it. Here are Dan's thoughts:

Shadley and I always imagined we would have a larger family...at least three. With Shadley dealing with some health issues, another pregnancy and delivery would be a strain. Adoption became a very exciting option. Like Shadley said, I have always felt a strange draw to Africa...more than just a place I would like to visit someday as a tourist. That made Ethiopia stand out immediately to me.

It is also amazing to think of the parallels of our relationship with God and adopting. God sees our need and reaches down and invites us into His family. We have an opportunity to display His awesome love in a similar way. We are so excited to welcome a new member to our family and enjoy him or her as we have Eden and Elly. -d-

(And he forgot to say he is praying for another girl!)

Thanks for reading, everyone! We hope you will pray for us as we embark on this patience-testing journey! We are blessed that our friends Andy and Jamie are on a similar ride--they are a few steps ahead of us in their adoption of a boy from India.

We are using Bethany Christian Services as our agency. Their website is www.bethany.org if you want to check it out!