Oh, friends, we can’t thank you enough for the prayers you’ve prayed for our family, and for Mina and her family…and for Baby Brother! The events of the past week have felt a little like a sleep deprived roller coaster. There’ve been curious twists and suspenseful lurches, warmed by snuggles and hopes dearly, finally fulfilled–with boosts of great love and care from Rebekah’s parents. I’ll try to unpack some of the highlights in this summary of our marvelous adventure.

On Friday morning, Dec. 12, as I put the final touches on Karis’s new hairstyle, our adoption attorney texted to say that Mina was at the hospital, 3 cm dilated, being prepped for a C-section! She would later tell me she’d had contractions through the night. Praise God or orchestrating a swift and safe procedure! While Josh and I hurried to finish packing, bio dad Jeramy called me to breathlessly say, “I’m SO SORRY to tell you–(oh no, what’s wrong)–but Baby is already here!” What music to our ears! Not long after, Mina asked that we start a video call (best packing interruption ever!) and we got to see wide-eyed Baby Bro, utterly adorable and looking all around. Mina and Jeramy confirmed that all went well, and that Mina was tired but doing ok. We hit the road around 3 PM. Josh and Karis dropped me off at the hospital in Johnson, AR, ten hours later. Our attorney told me to enter though the ER, that I might stay the night and “room in” with Baby Bro. I entered the hospital easily enough after a short emotional/spiritual struggle in the parking lot. I don’t think there’s a word for the resounding clash of hope, fear, and adrenaline that can hound a hopeful adoptive parent when approaching the baby she was chosen to adopt…Also, almost a hint of impostor syndrome. “After all of this waiting, do I even belong here?” 

The nurse on duty adorned me with a bracelet that matched only two others: Mina’s and Baby Bro’s. Learning that Baby had been taken to the NICU, I opted to visit Mina and Jeramy first, who were waiting for me. Mina was, of course, exhausted. As we talked, they told me that a rash had appeared on their son sometime after his birth; it began to spread, and he was relocated to the NICU for tests and observation. I sought to focus on Mina and Jeramy at this time, trying to read their faces and give what encouragement I could. Jeramy described, awe written across his face, of his amazement during the C-section, when he watched as the doctor lifted their son out. Smiling more, he said he couldn’t bear to see their boy in the hospital’s pink infant hat; so he’d taken a quick shopping trip to get something more suitable. Mina shared with excitement that her mother was set to arrive from the Marshall Islands in a few days, to stay with her until February—and that her mom couldn’t wait to meet their baby! I tucked these thoughts away for later processing, and then Mina and I went up to the NICU as soon as the nurse returned, and she showed me the ways of the NICU. Only Mina and I could visit Baby freely on our own, thanks to the matching bracelets; anyone else had to be accompanied by one of us—and only two visitors at a time. No children.

I visited the adorable Baby Bro twice that night; once with Mina, and once alone for the 2 AM feeding. During three-minute hand washings, I thought of and felt for the parents with more delicate little NICU residents. Snuggles there were so sweet and awkward with all that tethered him; several cords and an umbilical line provided monitoring and a nutrient boost. Josh and Karis slept at our nearby Air BnB while I tried to get a little sleep in my hospital room the rest of that night, questions pulling my mind full-force into the days ahead.

My parents had planned to arrive the next Monday, as did we, for the scheduled C-section, but on Saturday morning, they still had twelve hours to reach us—those, in addition to the six they’d driven on Friday after hearing that Mina’s C-section was happening. Josh and Karis came to the hospital on Saturday to encourage me and to visit with Mina and Jeramy, but Josh didn’t get to see Baby Bro until late Saturday night, once my parents reached our Air BnB and could stay with Karis. What a happy meeting! He fed and held the sweet boy for a while. We watched his first bath; then Josh returned to the house. I continued alternating visits in the NICU with Mina and Jeramy. And the Lord continued sustaining my spirit as I kept asking Him to do whatever was right for Baby Bro, for Mina, and for us. I trusted Him to love him more than any of us could.

On Sunday afternoon, Baby and Mina were both discharged! Mina was walking well, proving that she was ready to go home, and Baby Bro was doing great. His tests showed no concerns, praise God! And Mina had signed her consent to have him discharged to us. She and I had visited Baby together the night before, passing him back and forth as we talked about family. She’d told her mom that she would get to see and hold her baby soon after she flew in, so I agreed that we would bring Baby to see her in the next few days.

Josh, Baby, and I went “home” to the Air BnB, where Karis and my parents got to meet the sweet little brother! Karis has been a bit timid about the whole baby situation, despite being pretty excited about Baby Brother before he was here. Currently he’s a lot smaller and less playful than she was expecting, but she loves talking to him and giving him kisses and bottles. He’s absolutely fascinating! We had several days to snuggle and fall in love with him while waiting to see whether the adoption was still on. AR adoption law requires birth mothers to wait five days, not counting the birth day, before they can sign adoption paperwork. This is a helpful time frame for them to reconsider such a difficult decision. Although Mina’s words at the hospital seemed to indicate that the adoption would still happen, we’d seen firsthand Mina and Jeramy’s deep love for their precious son. We really didn’t know what to expect. It was abundantly clear that hearts would break, whatever happened.

The last day of the wait was momentous! At his newborn appointment, Baby Bro surpassed his birth weight and was complimented on his chill attitude. He’s such a content little guy! That evening, we took him to meet his biological grandmother, who arrived from the Marshall Islands the day before. We arrived at Mina’s apartment at 5 PM, just after the waiting period had ended, a little unsure what to expect. We didn’t know whether they had changed their minds.

The visit was nothing short of incredible. Quite a few relatives were there, all gathered to meet the baby and to meet us. It was quite evident that Mina and Jeramy still meant for us to adopt this dear little boy. Jeramy, Mina, her mom, her aunt, and a sister-in-law took turns holding and adoring him, the women swaying to rock him. Cousins were all around. Mina gave us gifts that she’d asked her mom bring from the Marshall Islands: palm leaf and seashell necklaces for Josh, Karis, and me, and additional palm leaf jewelry for me. Mina and I both cried. We took lots of photos and gave lots of hugs. It’s hard to fathom this. What a heartbreakingly beautiful, unique, complex gift and answer to so many prayers. Please keep praying for Mina and Jeramy.

Although we’d wondered, prior to our visit, what all of this would lead to, we’d eventually connected some dots and realized that Marshallese culture, with its strong support of adoption, might approach it differently than we expect. As Josh puts it, it’s almost like this adoption is sort of like marrying into Baby Bro’s biological family. We haven’t just gained a son…We’ve gained extended family who welcome us with open arms. If it’s not clear yet, this is an open adoption. So is Karis’s, but this is another level of openness entirely, and we are very grateful for that. 

His adoption isn’t quite finalized yet (our judge needs “just a few days,” and right at Christmastime) BUT…

We are SO thrilled, amazed, grateful to finally announce:

Micah Zane Flint was born at 11:22 AM on 12/12/25. 6 lbs, 11.2 oz.  20.9 inches tall.

Micah: Who is like God?
Zane: God is gracious!!

Thank you for your prayers and help in welcoming Micah to our family! Thanks to my parents for being such an awesome help during this time. Please keep asking God to wrap Mina and Jeramy with His comfort and light, especially as they process this Christmas together with her mom (I’m so glad she’s visiting!). Pray that we would love them well.

With much gratitude,

Rebekah

Greetings from snowy Louisville! I hope you had a warm and lovely Thanksgiving. We Flints are at the end of two different (common) colds, with a mere 3 days of health in between them. Somehow, I’ve gladly avoided all but the mildest of symptoms, but I do welcome prayers for better health in the next couple of weeks, and continued prayers for Mina and Baby Brother.  She let me know yesterday that she’s “doing great!” Her C-section is scheduled for 7:30 AM on the 17th–exactly two weeks away!!

On that note, I’d love to do something for her that “we” did for Karis’s birth mother. But I need your help! Before Karis was born, a friend of mine came up with the idea of a little photo album filled with notes of encouragement, love, and blessing. Friends wrote notes to Karis’s birth mom on appropriately sized pieces of paper, and we slipped them into the photo slots. I gave it to her shortly after Karis was born, and she told me later that the thoughtful letters and notes from our friends meant SO much to her.

I’m kicking myself for not thinking of this sooner, but I’d love to do the same for Mina! I’m getting a 5×7 photo album. I desire your participation, please, if you’re able! Local friends, would you consider writing Mina a little note on a 5×7″ paper or card (any color/style) and getting it to me ASAP? Feel free to drop by and write it at my house–I’ll have 5×7″ papers to write on! Non-local friends, you can RAPIDLY mail a 5×7″ note or card to me (223 W Esplanade Ave, Louisville, KY 40214) OR write in dark ink and take a clear picture in good lighting–I can print it off at the right size (if not mailing, text the photo of the note to me at 336-749-5237). I really want to have these by December 10 (one week from today)!! These notes are to be addressed to Mina (“Dear Mina…”), to shower her with love, prayers, and affirmation. Thank you in advance!!!

In other news, we just swapped bedrooms with Karis so that she and Baby can have the bigger of the two main bedrooms. I’ve been on a Marketplace quest for the right “big girl bed” and dresser to fit right in. There are a few more things to sort out and set up. Just in case you wanted to be a part of that, our registry link is below. You’ve already done SO much! This is just for those who wanted it.

THANK YOU for your prayers, for helping us get to this point, and for (maybe?) sending a note to bless Mina! We are beyond thankful for the measureless gift of being connected to so many loving hearts who’ve joined us on this adventure in one way or another. The Lord has truly been kind and generous to us on this long road!

Until next time, maybe from AR (!),

Rebekah Flint

https://www.amazon.com/baby-reg/rebekah-flint-december-2025/Y4SV9XZ1WHL0
*Aloe Vera?! See previous update!

These are exciting times in the Flint household! I’ve been sorting baby clothes (many thanks for more wonderful hand-me-downs!) as I muse how many pajamas, bottles, etc. to pack! At some point every day, while praying with Karis, she tacks on to the end of my prayer, doubling the petitions for this family: “AND Mina-and-Jeramy-and-Noman-and-Sariah”–fitting all of Baby Bro’s immediate bio family into one breath. She’s picked a name: Aloe Vera Flint. 🙂

We’ve booked an Air BnB with an understanding host, where we can stay, together with my parents, for up to three weeks. Unless Baby Brother decides he’s in a hurry, we anticipate meeting him on December 17–Mina’s C-section has been scheduled for 7:30 AM that morning!! We keep hearing from her that she’s “feeling good,” “doing great,” and “this baby moves a lot!” We’re so grateful for the good reports, and for all of the ways God is providing–for our adoption and also for Mina!

We would heartily welcome your prayers for Mina’s continued endurance and wellbeing, and for Baby to stay cozy until the 17th. And also for us, as we ready our home by swapping bedrooms around. Please pray that our hearts would continue to trust God in the last stretch of this long wait, and that our hearts would be ready to welcome this son well, and to love Mina and Jeramy well!

May your Thanksgiving festivities be warm and lovely, friends. Thank you for being a part of this!

With thanks,

Rebekah

In the winter, I feel like I’m just waiting for spring. Days hold all of the everyday ingredients, if not a bit sparsely; but mentally, I’m straining at the bit, daydreaming of flowerbeds and long, warm walks. This year, I’ve done a better-than-usual job trying to appreciate winter for what it is. No mosquitoes, pretty snow (even if it sticks around for one month too long), and so on. I’ve been extra grateful for Karis, who is such fun company when cooped up inside on a freezing day. At this moment, I’m trying to drum up cheerfulness for the winter storm that’s due to sweep into our area tonight and tomorrow; I guess it brings us that much nearer to the joy that the emerging daffodils are preparing to herald.

We are in a rather similar wintery point in this adoption process: we’re still waiting for our next child, weary from the wait, but eager and hopeful for the good news of another match. We’ve been encouraged to look into working with an adoptive attorney with a wonderful reputation among the birth families and adoptive families he has served (more details to come). This is a time of waiting, but it’s also a time that we’re trying to steward well, to be ready when we do match again. It’s spent parenting Karis (what joy!), praying for help and wisdom, talking with references for a better idea of what it might look like to work with this attorney, trying to figure out how to get a nice family photo of us all smiling (to update our profile book, since Karis has grown so much in a year!), and looking at our finances as we’re further convinced that what we paid for our now-disrupted match will not help toward our next adoption. It’s a busy time of waiting!

When we matched with Destiny, we paid what we estimated to be almost half of our total adoption cost, not counting travel expenses. It was nonrefundable. We expected to raise most of the rest through this page and the matching grant. This will continue to be the best place for our friends to give directly toward our adoption, and everything will be matched, until we reach $9,000 in donations! Our hearts are so encouraged by the generosity of the friends who have already given–thank you so much! And to the many who are praying for us, thank you! We would ask that you continue to pray for us, please, that God will prepare us and prepare the expectant mom who will be matched with us. Also, would you consider sharing this link with others, if you are not in a position of being able to donate? Don’t forget, even a small gift will be doubled right now!

Thank you for your prayer and support as we wait expectantly to see what the springtime of this wait will hold!

With thanks,

Rebekah Flint

*If you’re new to our story, thanks for stopping by. Destiny chose us last autumn to adopt the baby boy she was carrying, due a couple of weeks from now. We lost contact and later learned that she’d had a late miscarriage. Many thanks for praying for her heart, as well.

______________

STRIPE charges an online processing fee (2.2% +.30 USD per transaction)*. Your donations will be decreased by this amount. You may also send a check payable to “Lifesong for Orphans”. In the memo line please write “FLINT 10982”, to ensure it is credited to our account. Please mail to Lifesong for Orphans, PO Box 9, Gridley, IL 61744.

Lifesong has been blessed with partners who underwrite all U.S. administrative and fundraising costs (TMG Foundation and other partners). That means 100% of your donation will go directly to the adoption.

• In following IRS guidelines, your donation is to Lifesong for Orphans. This organization retains full discretion over its use, but intends to honor the donor’s suggested use.
• Lifesong is a 501(c)3 tax exempt organization. Individual donations of $50 or more and yearly donations totaling $250 or more will receive a tax-deductible receipt. Receipts for donations under $50 will gladly be sent upon request.
• *3.5% fee for donations given with an American Express card

We received some heavy answers yesterday. Our greeting card reached Destiny, and she responded by contacting the agency (neither they, nor we, had heard from her since early October) to say that she had a miscarriage. “She shared that it was an incredibly overwhelming time for her, and that we did not hear from her because she was not in the mood for discussing her baby or what happened, as it was traumatizing.”

It’s helpful to have answers and closure, but our hearts are so heavy, both for the loss of that dearly loved little boy, and for Destiny, who had such a strong and unmistakable love for her littlest son. This is a type of loss that we can understand, albeit with different circumstances, and we grieve that she is not (from all that we’ve gathered) surrounded by the kind of community that would weep with her over this particular loss. We hope that she will reach out to us, as she indicated to the agency yesterday. We are praying that the Lord will give her comfort, hope, and peace as only He can.

We are sad and bewildered, even while we trust that God knows what’s next, both for Destiny, and for us. The hardest part, so far, was watching Josh tell Karis that the baby who might have been her baby brother had died, and to see her excitement when she latched onto the phrase, “BAby BROther! BAby BROther!” She will be such a sweet, fun, big sister.

A lesser thing, but a discouragement, nonetheless, is the loss of a good chunk of our initial adoption savings; it’s standard in the adoption world that a match fee ($15,000, in this case) is non-returnable when a match is disrupted, regardless of the reason. We know that the Lord will provide and IS providing through your prayers and financial gifts. We’re in the middle of updating our home study (lots of appointments, paperwork, and background checks) and will start sending our profile to expectant mothers again sometime in the new year. Thank you so much for praying for Destiny, and for us, as we process this loss and prepare for what’s next. IF you’ve been meaning to donate toward our adoption fund (gifts will be doubled by a generous match), you have a few hours left to do so and receive a tax-deductible receipt for 2024. Thank you for your loving care and encouragement through this, friends.

Rebekah, Josh, and Karis

_______________________________________

STRIPE charges an online processing fee (2.2% +.30 USD per transaction)*. Your donations will be decreased by this amount. You may also send a check payable to “Lifesong for Orphans”. In the memo line please write “FLINT 10982”, to ensure it is credited to our account. Please mail to Lifesong for Orphans, PO Box 9, Gridley, IL 61744.

Lifesong has been blessed with partners who underwrite all U.S. administrative and fundraising costs (TMG Foundation and other partners). That means 100% of your donation will go directly to the adoption.

• In following IRS guidelines, your donation is to Lifesong for Orphans. This organization retains full discretion over its use, but intends to honor the donor’s suggested use.
• Lifesong is a 501(c)3 tax exempt organization. Individual donations of $50 or more and yearly donations totaling $250 or more will receive a tax-deductible receipt. Receipts for donations under $50 will gladly be sent upon request.
• *3.5% fee for donations given with an American Express card

Waiting is woven into the fabric of our days from beginning to end. The wait for hunger to be satisfied, for healing, for springtime to chase off winter (or, if you’re a lover of cold, the wait for snow), for a spouse, for a child, for tea time, for good news. We’ve spent a good part of this year waiting for a match, and now, we continue waiting to see if we might hear from the mother who chose us. Although it’s been difficult at times, we know that this waiting is purposeful: we need not look any further than our precious Karis to be reminded that God timed everything just right for her to join our family, despite that particularly challenging wait!

Christmas comes by way of waiting, as well, espcially for followers of Christ. Advent is “a four-week season in the Christian church calendar dedicated to anticipating the arrival of Jesus of Nazareth, the long-awaited Messiah and King” (BibleProject.com). Doesn’t it seem like the waiting of Advent feels especially appropriate when things are heavy, dark, or drawn out? The sappy bop of “Simply Having a Wonderful Christmastime” doesn’t always fit. But when we’re yearning for the Prince of Peace, because we need Him so much, it feels so natural to wait in anticipation of Christmas, and to cherish and celebrate the gift that we have in knowing Jesus, who really did come as the true Light into our dark world.

I heard a song recently that fashioned wonder afresh in me at the gift of that first Christmas. The beginning ends, “And in 400 years / not one word was spoken / And the prophets were silent / Leaving us in the darkness / But then what should appear / Do we hear a new sound in this silent night? / For the first time, not a silent night.” The song is called 400 Years, by Sarah Sparks (look it up!). 400 years was the span of time from when people had last heard from God, until the time surrounding Jesus’s birth. WHAT good news! The Messiah was finally here, after generations had watched and waited!

May you know His peace and light this Christmas. If you’ve been waiting without Him, reach out. I’d love to share more. “The people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned…For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:2, 6.

With love,

Rebekah, on behalf Josh, Karis, and herself 🙂

Hey friends, we’re sorry for our lack of updates. There hasn’t been much to share lately on the adoption front, which leads to this difficult update. For many days, I (Rebekah) considered posting here, immediately followed by the hopeful thought, “today we might hear something,” thus, delaying an update.

Sadly, we (and our agency) lost contact with Destiny, the expectant mother, a number of weeks ago. The last messages we exchanged included her affirmation of our traveling to take her to an upcoming appointment (which couldn’t happen when we lost communication), an ultrasound photo, and an enthusiastic “February will be here before we know it!” Efforts to reconnect have been ongoing; her number was disconnected and, by now, has most likely changed. We hope that she can parent her precious baby, if that’s what she desires to do. What’s harder for us are the question marks and lack of closure. If she can let us know that she wants us to move on, we’ll begin sending our profile to other expectant moms looking for adoptive families. And if this is, indeed, a disruption of our match with Destiny, we (as is customary) will have lost what we paid to that agency for the initial match. If this is the case, then these donations will be even more helpful toward our next adoption match. THANK YOU for your gifts toward our next adoption. It really means so much to see God’s provision, especially when times are perplexing.

All of that to say that this has been an unexpected turn of events, but the Lord was not surprised by it, and we look to Him for wisdom and clarity about our next steps. Should we wait until the due date (February 26) before sending our profile to other moms? Or pray over other possible adoption cases and send our profile before then? We’re about to attempt to reconnect with Destiny through snail mail, but there’s no guarantee that she will receive or even open the envelope, if she’s changed her mind. Would you please join us in praying that her heart would be open to letting us know if she wants us to move on, and that we’d hear something from her soon?

On a more cheerful note, the rosebush Josh gave me last year (or the year before?) is still blooming, even now. I gave it a good pruning this spring, due to insect damage, but it’s been churning out roses well into late November! It’s a good reminder to me that the pruning and waiting we experience are absolutely purposeful, as well. “He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” (Ecc. 3:11) May good fruit be borne out of these times as we trust our good Father, the Gardener (John 15:1).

Karis continues to be an overflowing joy and delight; our days with her are so sweet. Who knew that a toddler could be so content and joyful 98% of the time? God is so kind and gracious!

Thank you again for following along and supporting us through your prayers, friendship, and donations. Hopefully, Lord willing, we will have more updates before long.

Blessings,

Josh and Rebekah

Someone looks like she’s about to be a super cool big sister! 
Oh friends, we’re thrilled to share this news! In a recent update, we said that we’d sent our profile to a few more expectant mothers. Well, one of those precious women, whom we refer to as “Destiny,”* is expecting a baby in February in TN. This sounded so similar to our previous match with Karis’s birth mother that we quickly sent our profile to her agency. We had to wonder, “what are the odds of being chosen by another TN mother due in February?” 

Rebekah received an email from that adoption agency a few days later and read the following line over and over, certain that she’d mis-read it: “I spoke with ‘Destiny’ this morning, and she informed me that she would love for your family to adopt her baby with an estimated due date of February 22, 2025. You have so much love for your current family and she would love for her child to join your circle!”

Wow! What an amazing message to receive! And WHAT an honor to be chosen. Again. The Lord is SO kind!! We quickly moved forward and wired over the agency fee on August 30th. We’re officially matched! We then received Destiny’s phone number with a note that she was excited to hear from us. Our new agency encouraged us to text her and to follow her lead in getting to know her. We are so grateful to have spoken with Destiny; she’s a smart, loving, thoughtful mother who has given this decision a lot of thought. One thing Destiny told us that specifically stands out is that she’s the first in all of her family to choose adoption rather than abortion for an unexpected baby that she doesn’t intend to parent. As such, her family members continue to question her choice; she could “fix” the situation so quickly, as far as they’re concerned. She’s been encouraged by our excitement to connect with her and our gratitude for her, and we hope and pray that we’d continue to bless her as we get to know her more. 

What’s next? Destiny is 16 weeks along, and this pregnancy is harder on her than previous ones (and she’s a working single mom to five). We’d love for you to join us in praying for Destiny and her children (and baby!)—please ask that they would be abundantly blessed with newfound support from their community, and with good health. And please pray for us, that we’d be a blessing to her, and that we would joyfully trust God with the unknowns of the next five months. Finally, maybe consider whether you’re in a position to contribute financially to our adoption. All donations here will be doubled until we reach $9,000, thanks to some generous matching grants! The agency’s estimated total for this adoption (without travel expenses) is $32,750, and this is a low estimate. We’ve been so encouraged by the donations so far; thank you for coming alongside us through giving and prayer!! The Lord’s kindness and provision are beautiful to behold. We’ll keep you posted…

*The placing agency gives pseudonyms to any expectant moms they are serving. While we know her real name now, we will continue to call this woman Destiny for the sake of anonymity.

________________

STRIPE charges an online processing fee (2.2% +.30 USD per transaction)*. Your donations will be decreased by this amount. You may also send a check payable to “Lifesong for Orphans”. In the memo line please write “FLINT 10982”, to ensure it is credited to our account. Please mail to Lifesong for Orphans, PO Box 9, Gridley, IL 61744.

Lifesong has been blessed with partners who underwrite all U.S. administrative and fundraising costs (TMG Foundation and other partners). That means 100% of your donation will go directly to the adoption.

• In following IRS guidelines, your donation is to Lifesong for Orphans. This organization retains full discretion over its use, but intends to honor the donor’s suggested use.
• Lifesong is a 501(c)3 tax exempt organization. Individual donations of $50 or more and yearly donations totaling $250 or more will receive a tax-deductible receipt. Receipts for donations under $50 will gladly be sent upon request.
• *3.5% fee for donations given with an American Express card

Greetings! Our intention with this page is to keep you updated, but there hasn’t been a lot of adoption news so far, due to circumstances/lack of opportunities. With that said, in the next few days, our profile book will be shown to some loving parents seeking an adoptive family! We will continue to send our profile as opportunities arise. Meanwhile, we pray for the mothers (and fathers) in these unique circumstances to be blessed and well-loved by the families that God has for them. It’s helpful to remember what an adoptive mom friend shared a few years ago, something that was impressed on her heart during their wait: adoption is as much about God providing families for children, as it is about Him providing children for families. We wouldn’t want to rush the process; we trust His wise and loving heart. You can count on a big update from us here as soon as we are officially matched! 

The average expense of the adoption cases that we’re seeing continues to be around $40-45,000, not counting travel expenses. We explain the details more fully in the introduction to our MyStory, but please reach out if you have any questions. We’re so grateful for friends who have already come alongside us through prayer and encouragement, and through financial gifts (which will be doubled when given here, up to a total of $9,000, thanks to a generous matching grant!). Would you be interested in helping to lighten the financial piece of our adoption through a donation of some amount?* 

Our summer has been full to the brim with Karis’s vigor for life and learning! At almost 19 months, she says new words every day, is so much fun, and gives us countless reasons to continually praise God for her precious life and cheerful heart. It’s been lots of fun to communicate more, and to have her chime in while singing songs together! A fun family outing to our adoption agency’s annual picnic provided lots of connection with other adoptive families; you can see Karis enjoying their petting zoo in a photo above. We’re loving spending time with friends, taking lots of walks, and playing outside while Rebekah tends to her flower gardens—now overflowing after lots of care early in the season. Likewise, we are ever grateful for the gift of caring for our daughter, watering her with love, and seeing her overflow with affection and enthusiasm. 

___________________

STRIPE charges an online processing fee (2.2% +.30 USD per transaction)*. Your donations will be decreased by this amount. You may also send a check payable to “Lifesong for Orphans”. In the memo line please write “FLINT 10982”, to ensure it is credited to our account. Please mail to Lifesong for Orphans, PO Box 9, Gridley, IL 61744.

Lifesong has been blessed with partners who underwrite all U.S. administrative and fundraising costs (TMG Foundation and other partners). That means 100% of your donation will go directly to the adoption.

• In following IRS guidelines, your donation is to Lifesong for Orphans. This organization retains full discretion over its use, but intends to honor the donor’s suggested use.
• Lifesong is a 501(c)3 tax exempt organization. Individual donations of $50 or more and yearly donations totaling $250 or more will receive a tax-deductible receipt. Receipts for donations under $50 will gladly be sent upon request.
• *3.5% fee for donations given with an American Express card