An Ode to Mamas

 

Mother's Day has always been special in my book. I've got a mama who is out-of-this-world and heck, if you know me at all you know any excuse to celebrate and gift her is right up my alley! Now I know there are a lot of you out there that think this is another one of Hallmark's money making holidays, but even so I applaud whomever you are that created it and see it a day to give praise to all those mamas out there for what they do.

This year particularly feels different though. Amongst the celebrating and Mother's Day memorabilia everywhere you look there is also hurt. I lost my Susu a few months back and my mom lost her mama. Oh how I miss her daily. For so many these "holidays" are a reminder of loss and pain.

As I have mentioned before, adoption was and is our plan A. We are actively taking birth control. Not to get too detailed, bear with me for a second. I don't say this in a prideful way or because we are trying to "save the orphans" but to prove my point and share my heart. You would be shocked at how many people literally ask us if we struggle with fertility issues. Some acquaintances and some people I met five minutes prior. Once I get over the initial shock I am quick to explain our "why" and our heart for the fatherless. We are confident He has gone before us and has made a path for our specific journey.  All this to say there are women out there desperate to be the one celebrated this Mother's Day and to earn the title of mom. My heart literally breaks for them as they not only grieve over their shattered plans but also over these types of questions they have to deal with. I literally have no idea what those struggles would be like, but I do know what it is like to yearn for a babe who is oceans away and feel helpless. In moments of despair He makes me strong.  “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”  Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.  For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities.  For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 

2 Corinthians 12:9.10

Paul suffers from an unknown physical thorn and through his suffering comes humility.  It is truly in our despair in helplessness that His power becomes our strength.  In a quiet time recently I read a phrase that I can very much associate with:  unashamed dependence.  In the world we live in today that may be seen in a negative light.  My dependence on the King of the Universe I declare boldly.

I also am thinking and praying for moms in every corner of this earth making the decision not to be a mom anymore. What is Mother's Day like for her? I can imagine that to be a compilation of feelings of deep grief, mourning, relief for some and even for others a burden being lifted.



In what may seem like a depressing blog post I come to this:  we all have dreams, plans and desires and also live in a world of hurt. What if instead of assumptions, pride and judgement we came alongside one another and rallied for good? Hone into what others are dealing with and walking through. Celebrate victories and mourn with mourners. I am beyond thankful for my cheerleaders and tribe and pray you can find your team as well. Love to all you mamas, I commend you.  You all have constantly been our squad, spoken truth into our lives and been the hands and feet of Christ.  I am immensely grateful for your words today especially as the waiting mama on mother's day, had to share a few through tearful eyes... 

 

 

 



Update on us:

As of April we celebrated 5 years of marriage.  How crazy!  I had a dear friend ask me the other day if this is where I thought we would be 5 years deep.  To be frank, no, not at all.  However, I love our journey, all of it; the good, the bad, and the ugly because it is our journey alone. 

Every first of the month we receive an update. Some of you have blessed us more than you know by simply asking of our news each month when the first arrives. As I mentioned before it's the little victories we celebrate. Every month we send an update similar to this one with our current number. Please let us know if this is something you would like to receive.

A few weeks ago several of the families in our agency, West Sands, decided to dedicate Sunday night at 9:30 pm as a time for prayer.  People all over the world are praying for orphans and families in the process.  If your heart desires, please join us.  Some specifics to be praying for for our family and for the process of Ethiopia in general:

∞     Urgency from the government officials and all of those processing cases here and on the ground in ET

∞     Waiting families {that they are able to see His hand at work during their journey and they not wait aimlessly with each passing day but with purpose and renewed steadfastness and faith}

∞     Birth mothers and fathers {that they be comforted and have an overwhelming sense of peace with some weighty decisions at hand}

∞     Orphans {that they receive proper nurturing, nourishment and the care that they need until they can be matched into forever families}

 

Thanks for reading.  We love you deeply.

-Jen Schwoch

Spring has sprung

“He is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord.”  Psalm 112:7

If you want all pride completely stripped from you & instead a life of humility, pursuing adoption is a start.  No, I am definitely not telling you this is a reason to adopt, don’t do that, but am just speaking from the heart of someone fiercely desiring to care for the orphan. God is in the process of sanctifying His kiddos our entire lives and we are clearly seeing that through our difficulties and struggles of our adoption journey. In the ups and the downs of it all, we are able to see Him more clearly and place our trust and our plans in His hands.

I’m going to be real for a second.  Sometimes it is hard to be a woman in the world we live in, specifically at the season of life we are in, going through this journey that is our plan A, but looks far different than the norm.  I have come to notice that I am surrounded by mamas and their precious baby bumps as of late.  Just a few weeks back I was at a dinner where four of the eight of the women at the table were pregnant.  Naturally a majority of the conversations are all things pregnancy and baby.  Sometimes it is hard y’all.   People just don’t know what to ask of my beautiful mess, but when you do I am ecstatic.  I have a close friend due in August and have told her I want her to share with me as much as possible the details of her pregnancy.  Baby Schwoch could very well be in utero and although I won’t get to see 3D sonograms or hear baby’s heartbeat, pregnancy is absolutely fascinating and beautiful and I can only imagine.  I walk away from these types of gatherings hurting and yearning for my little half way across the world and pray for that sweet biological mama who has chosen life and has some weighty decisions ahead.  I love adoption, but must constantly remember at the root of it is complete loss and brokenness. 

Adoption journey as of late

I promised an update a few weeks back, but wanted to gather some more definitive answers before sharing.  Psalm 112:7 (see intro) is a verse among others that I have clung to in our utter despair and weakness.  We saw some great strides over these past few months on our wait list.  Then we started hearing some difficult news to process regarding Ethiopia in general.  One thing I have come to recognize is that in the highs and lows of this journey if you lean on your emotions and not the constants of faith you will surely lose it, trust me from experience.  A respected and well-known agency that we looked into that works in Ethiopia chose to close their Ethiopian program based on a regional government in Ethiopia not allowing referrals to be processed.  Several other agencies have highly encouraged families to switch programs (countries).  I would be lying if I said it didn’t worry me.  Our hearts and resources are beyond invested in this place and not to mention our agency primarily works in Ethiopia, which is one thing that drew us to them.  During this week or so of unknowns we were on our knees praying for answers, but also hopeful and trusting in a God that is for us.  Our agency has since let us know that they will most definitely be continuing adoptions in Ethiopia and have been working in several regions with a number of orphanages building promising relationships.  We are in it for the long haul and can assume it will be a wild ride. 

Can we ask you to pray for these families who were with that agency that decided to close their Ethiopian program as they process through this uncertain time?

Will you also pray for continued positive relationships on our agency’s end and for all those regional government officials making big decisions and that they specifically not be prideful but that their hearts be softened and that they see the apparent need?

Martha & Mary

“Now as they went on their way Jesus entered a village.  And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house.  And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching.  But Martha was distracted with much serving.  And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone?  Tell her then to help me.”  But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary.  Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken from her.”  Luke 10:38-42

If you know me at all you know I lean towards being a bit of a Martha by temperament. I busy myself. My phone has lists and lists of lists. I am type A personality and in some ways this does me well in life, it's engrained in me. I keep a clean house, a full planner and clean gunk off of people's teeth for goodness sake.

All this to say, there's a lesson to be learned in this scripture and it is one that I'm learning in our waiting. When you are waiting for a child, or for anything for that matter, there are only so many things you can do to prepare and only so many lists to check off. I joke around that by the time baby Schwoch is in our arms we will have a house full of stuff {cue nesting}. But I delight in Mary for her enthrallment and adoration of whom is in her presence. She is not too preoccupied or too busy perfecting the atmosphere, but is giving complete glory and attention to the only perfect thing in her life. I think that is what it means to wait well. To recognize the Lord's presence & spirit in the here and now as He continues to lead us on our journey.

We will be updating our home study this week. It is crazy to think it's been 1.5 years since the original. The sweet girl that was our original case worker is no longer with the agency so in a way it is like starting from scratch. Pray everything goes smoothly with what seems like more hoops as we also re-fingerprint and begin lots more paperwork.

As of March 1st it has been exactly one year since we received our original waitlist number.  We were in New York visiting my dear sister & her husband and opened the email as quickly as we could and then headed to FAO Schwarz to purchase a memento for the occasion.  Although we are unable to share such details on here, we can say these past few months we have been overjoyed to see children referred (placed) into forever families.  At the beginning of each month we anxiously wait until the end of the workday to read the monthly email update together and take a picture on our dry erase board of our new place in line.  Each number that we move is huge in the eyes of our creator who cares for and adores each and every orphan and makes it all possible.  We love you guys.

-Jen & Luke

A new season of waiting

“In the silence, in the stillness, YES we can know You are good.” 

 At church tonight these lyrics hit me like a ton of bricks.  Lord, let this be true of our hearts during our wait.  It has been a while since an update so I decided it was time to share my thoughts, sing praises and express hardships. 

You guys, this journey is harder than we could have ever imagined.  Yes, some of you reading are saying to yourselves “I told you so.”  Right about the time when we submitted all of our paperwork in early 2014 is when rumors began floating around of Ethiopia closing its doors to international adoption.  Obviously that didn’t happen, but since our official wait list began in March of 2014 things have been painfully slow.  Why?  You ask.  Let me explain…

Ethics have become the main focus in the adoption world which is a very good thing.  Orphanages are following through with additional steps to make sure an orphan is a true orphan by seeking out any family or distant relative to take in the child.  This occurs for two months before a child is up for adoption domestically (within the country of Ethiopia).  Next comes domestic foster care and finally international adoption.  You can see why this has meant little to no movement for families waiting as the country and regional governments attempt to implement a whole new process.  We have been informed that this extensive process and the current wait times are the “new normal” and we have quite a ways to go on the wait list.  Needless to say, there has been a lot of tears shed and confusion.  As we have been processing through all of this something has been brought to the surface.  In our hardships and challenges that we meet face to face we are truly able to see how weak and powerless we are.  It then enables us to see our need for a Savior. 

“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28).

This is what continues to keep us hopeful and obedient to that which He has called us to.  I find myself clinging to the scriptures now more than ever before as truth.  This journey isn’t ours, but His, we just get to be a part of it.   It has been difficult no doubt, and He doesn’t always promise us clarity and answers, but we know He does promise to be with us through His spirit always (1 Corinthians 6:19).  I had a dear friend remind me the other day in my sadness that if the movement were any different in our monthly update it would not be baby Schwoch.  Such truth.  God is sovereign friends.

Yes, it is hard.  No, we aren’t quitting and our hearts are forever softened towards the orphan.  It got me to thinking about how our God pursues us continually and unconditionally.  He doesn’t quit fighting for His children ever.  We ask you to continue walking along side of us.  Specifics you can be praying and asking for:

• Our steadfastness and hopefulness in the highs and lows of this process
• The process in Ethiopia to be perfected (as much as things can be on this earth) to create much movement of bringing orphans into forever families
• That the Lord would continue to surround us with adoptive families and bring even more resources and support into our life during this tough season

I would like to close with a recent story of God’s abundant provision and presence in the here and now that is leaving us in awe and singing His praise.  I end with this because in the thick of it we can begin to lean on our own emotions and so easily forget of His continual presence and promises.  Recently we were notified from our agency that our adoption fees will be increasing as a result of the current orphanage crisis in Ethiopia. Long story short, orphanages are running out of money and having to send kids back on the streets due to the slowdown in referrals. Orphanages primary source of money is from international adoptions and as the government focuses more and more on adoptions and foster care within Ethiopia, orphanages are no longer receiving the funds necessary to keep their doors open. As a result, agencies are being forced to increase the fees in order to support the orphanages. No international adoptions equals no orphanages and no orphanages equals no international adoption. Therefore, while difficult to hear, we support the changes in fee structure.

Why do we tell you this? God & His provision showed up in a large way to say the least. After learning of the increase in fees we were a little frustrated and began wondering how we were going to raise the additional money when we still had a good amount of fundraising to do. We have some dear friends who we met just over a year ago. These friends had served overseas spreading the gospel and had come back to raise more support in order to return overseas to serve once more. These friends thought they might like to adopt and began saving money. Over the course of the last year it became apparent to them that God was calling them back overseas and they didn’t feel like adoption was in their near future. Instead of spending the money or using it as part of their finances to go overseas, they felt strongly that the money should be used towards adoption whether or not it was their own. Our friends decided that they would support us in our love for the orphan and support us by giving us the money they had saved. The check literally arrived the day after the news of the increase in fees and will make a significant dent in the additional amount due. Praise God, praise Him indeed!  “He has made everything beautiful in its time.  Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.”  Ecclesiastes 3:11

To those who continually pray for us and for our process, for those who send a simple text or call to see how things are moving, to those fasting specifically to pray for our adoption, to those who have hosted Noonday trunk shows to help fundraise for baby Schwoch we are forever indebted to you.  You all truly show us the love of Christ and keep us pressing on. 

Happy Thanksgiving, grateful for you readers.

Jen & Luke Schwoch

Tick tock tick tock

“But as we wait, as we journey, we find ourselves clinging to God as never before, and listening for his voice as if our life depended on it!  That in itself makes the waiting worth the while” (Patterson, 75).

Every day I am reminded that we are waiting.  Whether it’s in the morning when I am preparing breakfast and the baby outlet covers prevent me from plugging in the griddle or I see a glimpse of our wait list number on our dry erase board from the corner of my eye.  We are expectant parents in what some may joke as a very long pregnancy. 

Sure, there are the obvious ways it looks different.  I am not harboring this child in my body so therefore my stomach isn’t growing horizontally (other than from poor dietary choices) , I am not making monthly visits to the OBGYN, and my diet hasn’t changed as it would if I were pregnant.  Honestly, in many ways it is the normal for me because I have no comparison since I have never been pregnant and adoption was always at the forefront of my mind.

Needless to say, all the other preparation looks similar from what I can comprehend.  Our baby consumes my thoughts.  What will he/she look like?  Has our child already been conceived?  What about the birth mama?  What is going through her mind?  Praising God for her choosing of life for this sweet child that we will someday raise.  I am utterly in awe that we will be entrusted to this child’s life that I have yet to meet.  What else do expectant parents do, you ask?  We have started collecting a few items for what will someday be a nursery for baby Schwoch.  We have attended classes on raising adoptive kiddos and kids from hard places, talked to loved ones about what to expect on the road ahead, prayed like crazy & waited some more.  There is no doubt the road ahead is long and will get hard, but we are waiting with hope & humility. 

I just finished a book from a dear friend titled “Waiting.  Finding hope when God seems silent” by Ben Patterson.  The truths in this book could not have come at a more perfect time.  I would highly recommend it because really aren’t we all waiting for something in life?  It reminded me and put me in the place of our forefathers in faith such as Job, Abram & Sarai as they waited and suffered.  Did they ever cry out in their suffering and wonder when God would show up on the scene?  Absolutely.  Did they wait perfectly and with patience always?  Hardly.  My point being that even in their lowest, God was up to something greater.  “That finally, is all God himself assures us of in the here and now of our suffering.  He nowhere promises healing in the here and now.  He nowhere promises understanding or comprehension of it all in the here and now.   He nowhere promises that if you do everything right and keep your nose clean he will shield you from all evil.  What he does promise you is the presence of his Spirit to uphold and comfort us” (Patterson, 43).

I have studied the book of Genesis in the past and have specifically focused on the story of Abram and his wife Sarai.  If you are unfamiliar with it, this couple is promised by God himself, specifically Abram, a great nation (Genesis 12:2).  They long for a child and have given up hope when they hear they will become parents at the ripe ages of 90 and 100 years old.  In the meantime something is happening far greater than they could fathom, “The wait has been purifying and shaping Abram and Sarai into Abraham and Sarah.  Remember:  from God’s reckoning at least as important as the thing we wait for is what we become as we wait” (Patterson, 122).  Isaac was born as promised.  I am able to sympathize with Sarah and Abraham on a much different level than before as I wait to grow our family and put my tiny self and my waiting into perspective of God’s greater purpose.  “As it turns out, the creation is waiting for the same thing Abram and Sarai are waiting for!  To their immense surprise, they discover that their waiting for a child is linked to a much greater Waiting-the Waiting of the world and its redemption.  And the fulfillment of Abram and Sarai’s waiting will set in motion God’s campaign to restore his fallen creation.  The birth of a child, their child, will be the vehicle for redemption” (Patterson, 64).

There are days when I get so impatient and the wait seems treacherous.  With international adoptions one thing that is extremely difficult is not knowing what is going on.  You hear something one day and something extremely different the next.  In this book Patterson points on something spot on “Modern Christians are afflicted with a “zap mentality.”  It’s the idea that unless God “zaps” us immediately in response to our prayers, unless he does something that is immediately accessible to our five senses, then nothing has happened (144).  Well that sure wasn’t one easy pill of truth to follow.  But as a child of God I must remind myself that no loving parent would hand their child just anything at an instant.  “If we wait it is because God is waiting for us to become the people he wants us to be” (Patterson, 112).  In our obedience he is equipping us and molding us into the parents He desires us to be along the way.

I’ve had people shy away from conversations with me because they don’t know what to ask, or think the idea of growing a family through adoption is such an alien idea, or just want to let me know “it will be so hard”, but heed not.  I am a soon-to-be mama just like all the other mamas out there; their tummies may just scream “I’m pregnant.”  If my heart could scream it, it would :).  With that being said, ask away people, walk alongside of us on our journey, give us parenting tips (which we may or may not take), but most of all just be real with us and share in our excitement, joy and obedience to this call.  This past mother’s day was the first mother’s day celebrated as I was considered a mom-to-be.  Inside I thought “Oh, no one will think of the fact that I am celebrating this day in a new way” or “Oh people wouldn’t consider me as an expectant mother.”  Boy, was I wrong.  Your cards, gifts and sweet texts meant more to me than you can ever imagine. 

Specifics in our adoption

We have been waiting for three months now and get monthly updates from our agency.  Ethiopia just recently passed a new step in the process which requires an orphan to be up for domestic adoption in country for two months.  In a sense, they are exhausting all measures to keep the child in his/her home country with any living relatives which is good!  All this to say, we thought things would be at a standstill for a few months, but we got some news fairly recently that orphans already in the process did not have to go through this step so there has been some movement.  It is difficult to estimate a time frame, but we most likely have a year or two head of us in the waiting before we receive a referral.  At this rate it is moving much slower than it has in the past which is difficult, but also good to make sure adoptions are taking place ethically and orphans are considered true orphans.  Yes, this is what we signed up for, but it does not mean it is always a walk in the park.

On a side note, I have mentioned an organization I am head-over-heels for before on our blog called Noonday Collection.  Noonday Collection was started by an orphan advocate and world changing woman here in Austin, Texas in 2011.  It uses a fashion marketplace to ethically create opportunities and a job market among the vulnerable and oppressed among many other things and is currently working with over ten countries and even more artisan groups.  I just recently said “yes” to becoming an ambassador and a voice for Noonday and would love to share more of the heart behind this company, give you a catalog or have you host a trunk show in your home to share these stories of hope from around the world.  Check out my website at http://jenniferschwoch.noondaycollection.com .

Take care people. All our love.

Jen & Luke Schwoch

 

“He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all, how will he not also, graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:32)

Dossier may be a fun word to say, but we're glad it's out of our hands!

It has been a while since I have gathered my thoughts on pen and paper.  These last few months Luke and I have been venturing all over town to collect the last few pieces for our dossier compilation.  If you are unfamiliar with the adoption process, the dossier is the mounds of paperwork that includes everything from official birth certificates to letters of recommendation on what would make us good adoptive parents.  All of this paperwork will be sent to Ethiopia along with our home study for translation & approval.  Let’s just say the people down at Frost Bank are probably sick of seeing the Schwochs for their weekly notarizations :).

All this to say, this point in the process is marked with mixed emotions.  The paper chase portion is over, now comes the waiting.  We will be waiting for an estimated 2 years for our referral.  A referral is when we will be matched with a child and will receive any information they have on him/her along with photographs.  Oh how I long for the day when I first see our babe’s face!  Daily, I am leaning on God’s never-ending, constant grace.   To say this process is sanctifying would be accurate as we are more easily able to see the idols we turn to that we think will satisfy us, even though they always seem to let us down.

We are headed into our next phase with eager anticipation, but also with an overwhelming sense of peace.  I think I read on one of Jen Hatmaker’s older blogs recently that only 5% of adoptions go perfectly as planned with no hiccups along the way.  As much as we’d like to hope everything goes smoothly with our adoption, I’d like to think we have fair expectations for the road ahead.  Paperwork may get lost, documents expire, the wait may be longer than predicted, but we are confident in God's plans and are honored that we get to play a role in them.

This whole waiting period puts the one true wait into perspective for us.  As believers of Jesus Christ we hold every word of the bible as true, sufficient and without error.  In chapter 9 verse 28 of Hebrews it states “Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with the sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.”  In the grand scheme of things waiting for our child allows us to step back and marvel with anticipation for the far greater wait:  a day when Christ will return for us and make all things new. 

One of the true joys of the whole process for the both of us is sharing our heart and more importantly God’s heart behind adoption.  As I can imagine, just like when a woman is carrying a biological child, it consumes your every thought.  Paper pregnancy is no joke people.  When we share our adoption journey we have gotten several questions multiple times so I thought I would end this blog with some of our frequently asked questions…

1.)  Q:   If there are millions of orphans in Ethiopia why in the world will it take you at least two years to receive a referral?

A:  While we wish the process were quick & simple, the truth of the matter is that it is a long process full of paper work & waiting. This is good news & bad news at the same time. The good news is that the longer wait times are due to the government & country working hard to find any living family member or relative that might be able and willing to take the child into their home. After all, reuniting an orphan with their original family should always be plan A. The bad news is that we have to wait longer because of the many checks that exist throughout the process. I can’t remember who it was but someone recently put it this way – international adoption involves two governments trying to create a family. Most governments can’t even figure out their own agenda, much less coordinate an adoption with another government.

We recently sent off our dossier to our agency. Before the dossier is sent to Ethiopia for translation and review, it must go through multiple steps of authentication in the U.S. First, the Secretary of State in Utah (where our agency is located) must authenticate our dossier, then to the U.S. Department of State followed by the Ethiopian embassy in Washington D.C. This process takes 4-6 weeks and once final, we are officially a waiting family! Next the dossier is sent to Ethiopia for translation & review by the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs. Then approximately 2 years later we are given a referral which includes a picture of our child with any and all history available. Ethiopia requires 2 trips in country. The first trip, 3-4 months after referral acceptance, lasts 5-7 days and we get to meet our child and sit in front of a judge who ultimately decides whether or not we are fit to adopt our child. Then we return home and will travel back to Ethiopia in about 1-2 months for a 3-5 day trip where we pick up our child, go to the U.S. embassy in Ethiopia to get final clearance and return home!

2.)  Q:  Since you will be waiting for a couple of years, is there any chance you will have a biological child while you wait?

A:  Well I guess there is always a chance right?!  We have no doubt that God is bigger than birth control.  Our desire to adopt first doesn’t stem from fertility issues and we have received such a strong calling and clarity in these plans.  We are thrilled to bring a little one into our home that may have different bloodlines, but that is just as much a part of our family as a child I could give birth to.  When we think about our firstborn being an adoptive babe, although we know it won’t be easy, we are so excited to attach to our child and establish a bond of family before possibly having any biological children.  Your guess is as good as ours, but there are no plans to become a family of three before our trip to get our little love from Ethiopia.

3.)  Q:  How is your fundraising going?

A: God has been so gracious and has blessed us in more ways than we could have ever imagined. The financial part of adoption can be daunting and I’m not sure how people get through it without a strong trust in God. Jennifer and I do not have enough money on our own to adopt, but trusted His call on our hearts and knew that He would provide no matter what.

Our garage sale in October was a major success and in total we raised almost $6,000. God has provided through donations from friends and family in unbelievably generous ways. Our amazing sister/sister in law, Gretchen Watson, designed some awesome shirt for us to sell and they have been a big hit (we still have a few left if you are interested). We have had three sweet people (Kim Truss, Sally Jones & Robin Schwoch) host Noonday Jewelry trunk shows for us. If you haven’t heard about this company check it out at www.noondaycollection.com. The company was started by a woman who was adopting her son from Rwanda and was looking for ways to raise money. With a heart for the nations and the vulnerable, this Austinite created Noonday.  A foundational verse of this company is from Isaiah 58 “if you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday” v. 10.  Noonday employs men and women all over the world who make beautiful jewelry with their local products. The jewelry is then sold at trunk shows hosted by friends and a portion of the profits can go towards an adoption. The company works two-fold by allowing women and men around the world to enter the work field so that they don’t have to put their children up for adoption, and works here in the states by enabling families financially to adopt.  If you are interested in hosting a trunk show, we would love to connect you with some resources.  We cannot stop praising God for his blessings and continued provision.

In total we have raised close to $17,000 and expect the entire process to cost around $28,000 - $30,000. We still have a ways to go, but have been so encouraged by family & friends response to the gospel and the James 1:27 mindset of caring for the orphan. We are planning on some more fundraisers in the future so look for updates on Facebook. If you want to learn more or feel led to give, check out the link below to our You Caring fundraiser page. We can’t thank you all enough and couldn’t live out this gospel call without you.

https://www.youcaring.com/adoption-fundraiser/schwoch-a-bye-baby-adoption/79828

We are honored to get to be a part of this story and are beyond thankful for all the people around the world who have chosen to be a part of this story with us.  Even just by reading this blog you are taking time to hear our hearts.  We thank you.  Please pray that we can wait well, for our child’s well-being and heart, for the birth mama and for our paperwork every step of the way.  Until next time.  Love ya!

Jen & Luke Schwoch

P.S. Do you have a question you’ve been dying to ask us or are you considering adoption?  We would LOVE to hear from you!

Home studies: they're nothing like the movies

At five til ten on the morning of October 28^th I anxiously paced the house and kept peeking out the window curtain every few minutes.  The doorbell rang, our case worker was here.  To my surprise, in walked a bright-eyed sweet young girl about our age.  From there she proceeded to “interview” Luke and I.  In reality, it felt nothing like an interview, but more like catching up with an old friend on everything from why our family chose to adopt, why Ethiopia, our marriage and of course parenting.

I look back and laugh at how worried I was about the home study.  I meticulously cleaned the house and we baby-proofed to the best of our ability.  She quickly skimmed the house and gave us a few instructions on things to fix before she returned the following day.  Prior to our home study, we had several adoptive moms and dads tell us not to worry about a thing and that the agency was on our side, but I guess I had to experience it myself.

 

It got me thinking about how I so easily define my experiences by what the world says they are supposed to look like.  When I catch myself playing this comparison game or telling myself lies about what the world can offer me, I need to, through His spirit, remind myself that Jesus is better.  Because of this truth, I am filled with an unmovable peace and an eternal perspective.  “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.”  Colossians 3:2

 

So you’re probably wondering why the title Jen?  Well let me explain…

The only home study comparisons I had were those from the movies in which a crotchety old woman grills you to death and is out to get you.  Anyone familiar with this description I’m playing out?  Just like most things in life, the movies inaccurately portray everyday life.  Luke and I felt an instant bond with our case worker that went way beyond our paperwork, an eternal one.  Our God handpicked her to walk alongside of us.  I am consumed by the sovereignty of our Lord.  Sovereignty can be defined as “one possessing or held to possess supreme power or one who exercises supreme authority.”  When we confess with our lips He is a sovereign God, we can apply that to the big things in our world like the daily rising of the sun, to life’s details, like the countless steps and papers that fill our adoption journey.  He is King of it all.  I’m sure days will go by where I am walking in this truth wholeheartedly while we wait, and others where the ways of the world get me down and I need to be reminded of the freedom in these truths.

 

We are pleased to have the home study complete, as this is a big hurdle to cross in the adoption process and we will now send in our 1-600 to be approved by the United States government to adopt and allow the child to enter the US.  Then, we will continue with more and paperwork to complete our dossier which is sent to Ethiopia for translation and approval.  Then…the true wait begins.  It varies, but the average length of time we will be waiting is about a year before we receive a referral of our child.  We ask for your prayers that we can wait well.

 

One last thing I want to encourage you with is this:
If you or your family have ever felt that you may be called to adopt, but didn’t think you could either because of financial reasons or because you didn’t think your home was adequately equipped, we would love to share more with you.  We have been in utter awe of God’s provision and faithfulness to us through the whole process.  We thank you for your shared joy, love, and prayers.  Merry Christmas from our family to yours.  All our love.

 

 

Jen & Luke

Schwoch-a-bye Baby Adoption Garage Sale

 

Wee morning hours opened in prayer and ended in ceaseless praise.  Leading up to the garage sale, Luke and I thought we had a pretty good idea of about how much we thought we would raise based on the amount of stuff we had.  The Lord, through friends, family, and mere strangers completely blew us away in His provision and graciousness.

 

Not going to lie, garage sales are A LOT of work & I think the week leading up to it the words “I’d be fine never having a garage sale again” left my lips.  Looking back, I can see the fruits of the countless hours we spent preparing and also what an amazing fundraiser idea it is for families pursuing adoption.  Why?  Luke and I had the opportunity to share our hearts and souls with shoppers who were curious as to why we were doing what we were doing.  In a way, even just by shopping, we were inviting them to come alongside of us in the process.  There was one woman who drove down from a city north of Austin because she saw our ad in the newspaper and was thrilled to shop with all the proceeds going to baby Schwoch.  A few people and events stand out, but the list could go on and on…

 

 

-To Luke’s best friend Mark who drove down from Houston and woke up with us at 5 a.m. and also helped to design and donate the sign “Help us adopt by adopting our stuff” which attracted tons of shoppers to stop by

 

 

-To a precious couple in Grant and Gretchen’s small group in Brooklyn who have never even met us and chose to financially support our family and care for the orphan because they felt called

 

-To a handful of shoppers who handed us a dollar, five, ten, or even twenty to pay for their items and said “keep the change for your adoption”

 

-To our sis, Gretchen, who design the LOVED tee for us, these shirts pretty much rock

 

-To all those who we call family, friends and even those we just met, thanks for shopping and for purchasing a t-shirt and those of you that gave way more than the shirts costs, we hope you enjoy them and sport your shirt all around town

 

-To ALL of you who donated items, you are the ones that made the sale even possible

 

-To those near and far who have joined us in prayer over the sale and our adoption journey in general, it is so amazing to see family in a whole new way, God's family may not all look the same or see each other often, but is eternal!

 

 

 

-To my grandmother who has blessed us in more ways than she will ever know for opening up her house to us as our current place of residence and the place where our garage sale took place

 

-To our Schwoch-a-Bye Baby team who woke early, baked goods to sell, hung clothes, conversed with customers and were there for us

 

 



Our child is already so LOVED!  If you are interested in a t-shirt we still have some, let us know.  To see the breakdown of the earnings from the 10/19 sale check out our youcaring at: http://www.youcaring.com/adoption-fundraiser/schwoch-a-bye-baby-adoption/79828

A full album of all of the photos taken for the garage sale will be coming to Facebook soon!

Love you all,

Jen & Luke Schwoch