What's Happening

We've had a very busy summer with travel, moving, a snake bite, and much more.  And things aren't slowing down yet.  Tomorrow we are headed to Camp Buckner with many other foster and adoptive families.  We are really looking forward to this time of connecting with other families and the time together with our own family.  I am particularly interested to see how our kids interact with the other children there.

We also just submitted our home study on another sibling set.  Please pray that the Lord would guide their caseworker to just the right family for them.

When we get back from camp we've got some work to do to get our new house ready to be inspected but it shouldn't be too bad.  It's a whole lot easier going into it when we know exactly what to expect.  We also owe our caseworker a book report to show that we are continuing our foster/adoptive education while we wait for a placement.

So, in a nutshell, that's what's going on with us.  I'll update more after camp.  Also, please check in with our facebook page to pray along with us for the foster kids in Texas.  www.facebook.com/shippadoption

Praying for Foster Kids

If you've been following our facebook page you'll know that we've been sharing a link each day to a foster child in this area.  The goal is to raise awareness of these kids and to pray for them by name.   So far we have shared 14 kids.  There is one photo left on the Heart Gallery of Deep East Texas page.  This is just barely scratching the surface!  Next we will move to a different area of the Heart Gallery.  There are also more children listed on the DFPS website.  On that website you can see sibling groups of 4, 5, or even more.  Here's a listing for a sibling set of five that need a forever family.

Please continue to follow along and pray with us that the love of Christ would be poured out on them.

Let's Pray

I've been overwhelmed by how little I can actually do for these kids.  I can't take them all in.  I can't fix their problems, the "system", or help their biological parents get back on their feet.  What I can do though is pray for them.  And when it comes down to it that's the most important thing anyone can do.
Starting today, I'll be praying through the Texas Heart Gallery listings, beginning with Deep East Texas.  Each day I'll go down the list to the next child and pray for that child by name.  I'll be listing them on my FaceBook page.  Please join me in praying for these kids.

I know adoption isn't for everyone and I don't presume to imply that every Christian should adopt.  But we are all called to care for them.  And we can care for them by praying.  It's a great start.

James 1:27

Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.

If you're joining me in prayer, let's start here, with Lee. 

The system is flawed

I can't help but think we (Christians) are not doing enough.

Look through the Texas Heart Gallery and see their faces.  Glimpse into their lives.  You won't know their stories, but you can see their heartbreak in their eyes.

We recently told our caseworker that we were interested in a little boy we found on the Heart Gallery website.  He was a little older than we initially had been interested in, but something about this little boy drew us in.  There was a photo and a video clip about him.  Our oldest especially loved that this little boy's favorite foods are the same as his - pizza and pancakes.
When we heard back from his caseworker and ours we found out that this little boy is considered very aggressive and has been in a residential treatment center for two years.  My heart sunk.  I am sad and angry.  I don't have those feelings for myself, but for him and so many others like him.  Of course I can't bring a "very aggressive" child into my home.  I'm not equipped to help him or handle him and put the rest of my kids at risk in that way.  But there's got to be more for him.

The way things are now, this boy is unlikely to ever get adopted.  No doubt his is on high doses of medications to "moderate" his behavior.  Whatever trauma was in his early life likely caused him to start acting out in a foster home.  He wasn't stable or secure and things just got worse from there.  They started medicating him and things continued to escalate.  (This is all speculation of course.)  Now he is in a place that he is unlikely to come back from.  He's dependent on drugs, legal though they may be.  And what happens when he ages out of the system?  He's let go with no familial attachments, no experience for what a real relationship with a family (or Christ) can be like, no job skills, no income, no support.  He can't pay for his drugs that he's become dependent on after years of subduing his symptoms instead of healing him from the inside out.  What happens to this young man?

There's got to be a better way.  Christians have got to step in and help.  Do more.  Do SOMETHING.  If this boy had been given a chance by an older Christian couple with parenting experience but no other children at home, he could have been directed on the right path.  He could have been LOVED instead of drugged.  He could have been parented instead of "treated."  My heart breaks for him.  I wish I could do more for him.

I know I don't have any personal experience with mood altering medications.  I know I don't have first hand experience with these traumatized kids.  But I do think that kids in general are being medicated FAR too much instead of parented and loved.  (And not just kids in foster care.)

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this.  Experiences?  If we can't fix this, how can we at least improve it?  How can we, as Christians, help kids like this little boy now and in their future?

Life as we know it

It's been a while since I've posted.  I haven't really had much to say.  (Shocking, I know.)  You probably know by now that we were not selected for the most recent sibling group that we had submitted our home study for.  I didn't take it as hard as I expected to but it was still difficult.  If waiting for children is this hard I can only imagine how difficult it is for the children waiting for a family.

When we first submitted our home study and then shortly thereafter submitted again I had a hard time with the planning part.  I want to plan and be as prepared as we possibly can be but there's really only a tiny bit I can plan.  I also wanted to put everything else on hold.  I had a hard time planning for family trips or events not knowing if we would have more children or not.  I think I've finally let go of that.

Life is continuing for us.  Life is good.  The big boys are out of school for summer and we've made it a full week into summer vacation.  We have lots of activities and trips planned and it's really nice that the kids are at a point that we can go, go, go and they don't fall apart quite so much.  Last weekend we attended six parties in four days and nobody completely melted down!  Now, if you're reading this and you know me even a little bit, you know how much I enjoy social events.  Even with a hefty 21 month old on my back sneaking in a 20 minute nap here and there, it was w wonderful weekend.  The other four kids did their own things, checking in with me here and there and enjoying their friends and activities.  Did I mention how delightful it all was?

When we're doing all these fun things I often think about what it's going to be like when we add to our family.  Will we get a six year old boy to even things out with the boys?  He can bunk with the boys and play legos and ride bikes and go on camping trips.  Or will we get 3 and 4 year old girls that will keep us all on our toes and play dress up with the girls and squeal and giggle?  Or will we rock the boat and add a boy at the bottom and a girl at the top?  See what I mean?  The possibilities are kind of crazy.  It's so much easier giving birth!

I wish I could take a peek at God's chapter on the Shipp family.  I want to know what He has in store for us!  Should we go ahead and get licensed for foster care and welcome and embrace one child (since there's a limit of six children in the home for foster care)?  We would likely have a placement much sooner, but it wouldn't likely be a forever thing.  We could specify a very young child and give that child as much love and stability as we possibly can and wait to see what happens.  Should we look at other adoption resource sights and look at children all over the country?  Should we just sit back and wait for the right child/children to fall into our lap?  I know that whatever we do God will use it for our good and His glory.  But I just want to do the right thing.

As you can see, I'm full of questions today.  But I'm content with where we are right this minute.  (And that's not just because the little one is napping.)  It's still so weird having a 21 month old baby of the family.  Any other time I've had a 21 month old I've either had a newborn or been very near to delivery.  I don't know if this toddler is busier than all the rest were or if I'm just more aware of it.  She's definitely busy though!

Would you continue to pray for us as we seek to discern God's direction and will for our family?  And as we try for patience and peace with His perfect plan?  And pray for our future child/children to know the love of the Father, and to be well connected and safe with their current foster family.

New Dear Caseworker letter

I needed to feel like I'm doing SOMETHING during this waiting period so I wrote a new "Dear Caseworker" letter.  I'm hoping to grab their attention a little more.  This will be laid out with our family photo like the last one.  Please, tell me what you think.

Dear Caseworker,

Yes, you counted correctly.  There are 7 people in our family.  Before you put this letter away though, I want you to know how much love our family has and how much more we have to offer.  If you can’t imagine having this many (or more!) children, please consider our family experience as on-the-job training. We have a lot of it!  We deeply desire to add to our family and to help provide children in need with a loving, safe, and secure forever family. 

I’m Rachel, the mom of this crew. I’m 32 years old and have a BA in photography.  I currently use that degree taking pictures of my children in their day-to-day lives as I stay home with them and am constantly entertained.  I am so thankful that I get the opportunity to stay home and care for my children and my home and manage our household.  I’m living my childhood dream of being a wife and mother.

My husband Andrew is 30, and has a law degree from Baylor University. In his practice as an attorney in Nacogdoches he does work for the Attorney General’s Child Support Office, takes court appointed criminal cases, does business planning, estate planning and probate.  While he keeps busy with work, he always has time for the family.  Eating dinner together each night is a priority for us both.

We have been married for nine years and have known since we were dating that we wanted to adopt.  We weren’t sure what that would look like for us, but we knew we wanted a big family. We have several friends that have adopted through the foster care system that have lead us and turned our hearts towards these children. We have spent many years in thoughtful consideration and prayer over this decision. In October of 2013 we began our journey to adoption, were licensed in March of 2014, and now we eagerly wait to add to our family.  Our children are anxious, too.  Each day they pray for and ask about their future siblings.  They are excited to welcome new brothers and sisters and share their lives with them.  They already know what it’s like to share and love and will sincerely welcome more children into our home.

Gabe is our 9 year-old athlete, musician, and best big brother.  Jonah is our affectionate, tenderhearted, helpful 7 year-old.  Liam, the constant entertainer, is 5.  Our first little princess, Maggie, is 3 and full of spunk.  And little AnnaMae, the dare-devil, is almost 2.  I know it sounds like we already have our hands full, but I like to tell people, we really only have one hand full!  Sure, more children would be more mouths to feed, more to educate and clothe.  But more importantly, it’s more to love, more to share life with, more to grow old with. 

We hope that you will consider placing children with our family.  We would love to share our hearts, our home, our faith, and our lives.

Sincerely,

Andrew and Rachel Shipp

30 Days of Prayer

May is National Foster Care Month and Buckner has been sending out a daily prayer guide along with a short devotional each day.  Today's message was powerful for me.

Should the Right Thing Be the Easy Thing? Scripture: Isaiah 51:7    Recently I've been learning that just because something is hard, it does not mean it is wrong and just because something is easy, it does not mean it is right. Like many Christians, I determined the will of God through circumstances alone. God has been consistently showing me in His Word, however, that there are more scenarios where the easy thing was not the right thing, but the right thing was the hardest thing ever.    God's Word is full of examples of people doing the right thing no matter the cost and no matter how it appeared to those around them. My favorite is that of Joseph and Mary. Joseph could have walked away. But instead, he and Mary chose to do the hardest thing for them in their culture. They chose to stay in their hometown, in their small community of family, friends and neighbors, and to raise a child that appeared to be born out of wedlock. Certainly not everyone in the community was accepting and supportive of their choice. I wonder how many times Mary and Joseph had to listen to comments or endure looks? It would have been so much easier to move to a place where no one knew them or their past. I would have been tempted to follow this path.    During our first adoption journey, I was initially surprised, shocked and disappointed that not everyone shared our enthusiasm for adoption. It was difficult to understand why others were not excited and supportive of our decision, especially those within our own family. Even church acquaintances and people who we thought were friends surprised us with their reaction. Many of them looked at us like we were crazy; some even said so out loud. This was so hurtful and shocking.    If you ever experience something similar, please take heart. There may be people who will not congratulate you for making what seems to them like a very unwise or illogical decision. Always keep in mind the words from Isaiah 51:7, "Hear me, you who know what is right, you people who have taken my instruction to heart: Do not fear the reproach of mere mortals or be terrified by their insults."    When you care for the fatherless ---- whether it is for a day, a week, or for a lifetime ---- it is simply the RIGHT THING to do no matter how hard it is. May He give you the strength to do the right thing, the hard thing and the best thing ever.    Cheri Walroad and her husband, Paul are parents to six children. Their youngest three children were adopted in 2003, 2006 and 2008. Cheri works to help other adoptive families find the financing options they need to realize their dream of adoption through her website Resources4adoption.com

Prayer Guide:  Pray that the Lord would give strength and courage to those called to adopt. May they endure the journey, though it may not be easy, and friends and family won't always understand.    Pray that children in foster care would know the love and protection of the Father to the fatherless (Psalm 68:5).