playing phone tag...

If you are a close friend of mine you know "phone tag" is a game I play everyday. I rarely keep my phone with it's bulky (but necessary with kids) Otterbox cover in my pocket. Honestly, there are many times I have no idea where my phone is just as a result of the glorious chaos and "busyness" a day chasing two children, running the roads, cleaning, cooking, errands, and other chores seems to bring. I totally relate to the song, "This is the stuff" by Francesca Battistelli..."I lost my keys in the great unknown. And call me please, cause I can't find my phone." Yep that's me! :) If you've never heard this song you really need to. Its the perfect "put a smile on your face" tune for a Monday morning.

Anyway, I have played "phone tag" with a dear friend of mine that lives in another state for a few weeks. Well, really months. The last I talked to her was the day this journey to twin boys really got kicked off. She was an immediate encouragement and prayer partner. We've text and left messages but no actual conversation for a while. I got a text from her two nights ago to call her when I got the kids to bed. Well, I responded that I would but my phone had other plans. It went dead shortly after the girl's bed time. By dead I mean not low battery dead, like dead dead:) It's a game my phone has been playing for a few weeks now. It just decides it wants to rest and doesn't wake up until it wants to. It's really annoying but after this expereince I am again reminded to appreciate the mundane things God uses to work in us...as Francesca Battistelli sings, "This is the stuff You use." Needless to say, we didn't talk that night.

When the Iron Bowl Adoption Fundraiser was launched we didn't have many expectations for it. We've prayed consistently from the beginning that God would use our adoption journey as way to reach people for His glory and to encourage others to adopt. Our prayer has been for exposure...to our adoption, our story, our God. Of course, we do need to raise money, but that is secondary to making His story known. With that said we have now come to a point where we are totally leaning on God for provision. We have used all of our savings to get us to this phase of the adoption process and when our next round of fees are due we will be short about $5000. I had a moment of weakness last week when the enormity of the cost started to weigh on me.  I began to question whether we are suppose to adopt two. I discussed it with my mom and sister and they were nothing but encouraging...pointing to all God has done so far to indicate we are doing what He has planned for us. As my mom was getting ready to leave Birmingham she offered to give us the money we needed to make it to the next step of this process. Humbly, I refused it because I knew we hadn't given God a chance to provide.

Fast forward a week to the same day I got a text from my "phone tag" friend...I had a meeting with our agency discussing the next steps for our adoption. She mentioned when we submit everything in the next two weeks we will have to be more specific about which child/children we are desiring to adopt. Namely, are we going to adopt twin boys or are we going to try for just one? After our discussion I began to have doubt again. See, we have enough money in savings to pay this round of fees for one. The additional money we need is because we are hoping to adopt two brothers.  Dustin and I both started having the same doubts that night. While the Iron Bowl Adoption website has exceeded our expectations in how many people have seen it, we never really thought it would raise thousands of dollars. (Although we believe God will continue to use it as a tool to provide and who knows what the total amount will end up being come SEC kickoff weekend :) God can really surprise us especially when we don't expect it. )We have a few more fundraisers planned for late summer/early fall but nothing in the near future. So where would we get the additional $5,000 we needed to move forward? The actual prayer was "If Your plan is for us to adopt two, please show us by providing the money for this next step. God, we told You we'd walk until we couldn't walk any further. Is this the end of the journey for us?"

Early the next morning I was cleaning up breakfast dishes and my phone rings. It was my sweet "phone tag" friend. Finally, we've connected:) We talked for a while and then she asks, "What are your needs for the adoption right now?" I casually answered, "Well we will really need between $4000 to $5000 for the next round of fees." And that's when I got to experience the presence of God AGAIN! She and her husband had decided a while back that God wanted them to provide $5000 of our adoption expenses. Overwhelmed with emotion, we finished our conversation. I spent much of the day on my knees in thanks! Do you realize the significance of not only God's gift through these precious friends but the timing of it? If we didn't play constant phone tag and talked earlier in the process or had we accepted the funds from my mother the week prior, we wouldn't have the answer to our prayer we prayed wanting guidance about how many children to adopt. If my phone had not died the night before, we would have never prayed this prayer. It was a faith building exercise totally orchestrated by an amazing God! :) And He showed us once again, continue walking to your TWO boys!

In classic girl fashion, I called my mother immediately to tell her the wonderful news. She was somewhat amazed. I know the gift we were given was HUGE but I was a little surprised by how shocked she was, but it was because there was even more to this story I didn't know. After the conversation I had last week with my mom and sister, Courtney, expressing my concern and doubt about adopting two, my sister spent time in prayer asking God to provide us with a $5000 gift to alleviate our doubts and fears. She told only my mom about her prayer the next day on their long drive back to the coast. God  had not only answered our prayer for guidance in our aodption, he answered Courtney's specific prayer for $5000. WOW! I still tear up as I write this. We discount so many acts of God as everyday happenings. I felt compelled to share this very long :) story with you because we so often forget it's the little everyday things that God can be most glorified in IF we let Him. I pray this story is also a reminder for you to see God where we sometimes forget to seek Him...everyday life. "This is the stuff You use."

To contribute through our Iron Bowl Adoption Fundraiser, go to http://www.ironbowladoption.com/ and vote for your favorite team. This is a fun way to make smaller donations to help us out...we need the $5 donation as much as we needed the $5000:) No amount is too small to accomplish the end goal of bringing our two babies home.We thank you for your support and for sharing our blog and/or website with anyone you think may be interested in helping or will join in praying for us through out this process:) We are so blessed by you!

Have you ever had a haircut that made you cry?



The Polk Family* June 2011* GO STATE!

If you are a girl, you know at some point you've gotten a hair cut or color that you totally hated and there was that awkward moment of tears in front of the person that gave you "bad hair" :) Well, I was definitely crying as I walked out of The Hair and Nail Group in Hoover last week...but not because of "bad hair." My hairdresser, and friend, Miranda has never put me in tears because of an awful cut or color. Actually, she does a fabulous job and I'm so lucky to have her talent working on my head of hair:) This appointment was no different. We talked for the hour and half that it took to work her magic, mostly about our adoption and related issues, and then voila perfect color and trim complete. This wasn't the point of tears...it was a little later. Something Miranda doesn't know is I actually dreaded this appointment.  And for no reason other than finances. I had somewhat forgot about the appointment until my alarm clock went off that morning and my calendar on my phone reminded me of it. To my credit this forgetfulness is probably due to the wonderful medication I had been taking days prior because of my surgery...which went very well by the way:) At the Polk house we have started living off of what I would call "survival budget." Don't get me wrong, if we NEED something we'll splurge to get it but otherwise we've been putting every extra penny into savings for our adoption. I felt really guilty about going to get my hair highlighted and dreaded paying for it because of that guilt. But I definitely didn't want to cancel on Miranda at the last minute and if you had seen my roots you might argue this appointment was, in fact, a "need.” :) However, when we reached the register, Miranda said "Don't worry about it. It's my contribution to your adoption." WOW! Thank you God for your provision. And that's when the tears came ....

 God seems to be providing for us in some of the most unexpected ways. If you're reading this and thinking, "Really? This chick is praising God for a highlight?" Well, yes. Yes, I am. You see God reminded that day that if He cares enough to provide for a haircut (and ease my guilt :)), then surely He cares enough to provide a way to pay for our adoption. AND there's more to this story. While Miranda was working on my hair, the girl working next to her joined in our conversation; revealing she would also like to adopt. Her first question was, "I don't want to be nosey, but how are ya'll going to pay for it?" She had done some research and immediately was overwhelmed by the costs. As is the case for most people, including us! I tried to explain how God provides but I never can seem to do justice to His wonderment in words.  I give examples of what we've experienced but people still don't understand. SO...that day, He decided to “show” her co-worker what His provision looks like through Miranda's gift. Totally normal, though unexpected, everyday acts of kindness of behalf of our adoption. When it happens, I can totally feel His presence...that's why I cry. He completely humbles me once again and I am reminded how good the God I serve truly is!

Going through the adoption process is a very humbling experience. From day one you are an open book to your home study agency, your adoption agency, your government, the country your adopting from's government, and if you’re like us, to everyone that has decided to support you in the journey. I try to be as transparent as I can be with you...nothing sugar coated or fake. Here is where we are...home study is complete (minus Dustin's FBI clearance) however our wonderful social worker proactively sent on the study to our agency for review. It's been reviewed and all we are waiting on is the clearance. Please pray it come very soon. Then our completed dossier will be sent to the agency for final review and then sent on to Russia. We are still hoping to adopt twin brothers but have no official word yet. Our strategy is to be ready to go bring these little guys home whenever we can. So we are being diligent in our paperwork BUT we've been slow to ask for help....

Why is it so hard to ask for help? Especially in an area of life God has commanded us to serve. He's pretty clear ALL Christians should care for orphans, so why does it feel so awkward to ask for support in our adoption of two orphans? Obviously if you've followed our blog you know we do not have the $80,000 it is going to take to bring our children home. We began this “walk” in complete faith that God will provide. We have devoted all of our savings and any extra money in the mean time to this ministry but we will never come up with that much money on our own in such a short period of time. But we are realizing that was exactly God's plan in this journey. Fundraising is going to be a big part of this story and through it, His glory will be known to many more people than just a small circle of family and friends. If we have to depend on Him to provide then we aren't in control and we are vulnerable. But why is that scary in an adoption? Isn't this true of every aspect of our lives? He loves us more than we can ever understand...isn't that who we want in total control of our lives? So then there is this idea...if we have to ask for help, isn't that a sign of weakness?

II Corinthians 12:7-10 says, "So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud. Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

'Orphans and widows and the weakest among us,' they are mentioned in scripture frequently with favor and instruction to care for them. I find myself now thanking Him for my brokenness and for bringing us to total dependency in this adoption process. If I appear to be in control, have it all together, then I'm not a major player in His story. If the world can look at me and explain away the miracle of impossible situations becoming possible because of my own glory, then God can't use me. At the time I am writing this, the largest contribution that has been made to our adoption was by a young missionary that is completely supported through individuals donating to her ministry. We have received several donations and we appreciate them all very much. But there was something so special about a donation that came from someone “financially weak” by worldly standards and forgetting her own needs trusted God enough to give sacrificially to our adoption. This missionary's generous gift keeps reminding me that “in my weaknesses, I am strengthened...”

So now, very humbled and in awe of how God is using us, we are asking for your help to finish His work in our adoption. We have kicked off our first fundraiser today. Dustin has developed a website for a little healthy “in state rivalry”. As you already know we are Mississippi State fans. We have been told many times we were suppose to chose an “Iron Bowl” team when we crossed the state lines but we never have...until now. Please go to http://ironbowladoption.com/ and donate to this fundraiser. We aren't asking for big donations, although they'd be grealty appreciated. :) But we're hoping for small gifts from A LOT of people. The more people that hear our story, the more Christ will be glorified through our adoption!  We are hoping this will be a fun way to raise some money and further spread the story of the “impossible” adoption journey we are “walking” with a God that makes ALL things possible. Please also pass it on to anyone you think would want to help. We are also working on a way for you to make donations on our behalf to an organization that will be tax-deductible. If you'd like more information email us at polkadoption@gmail.com and we can get it to you.  We can't thank you enough for your prayers and support. We are completely blessed by you!



The Polk girls are all smiles! We can't wait to meet
our "baby brothers."