Adoptive Family Support Group - Lynchburg, VA

The Adoptive Families Support Group is an incredible resource for families during the waiting process and, unlike the birth mother support group, is designed to support families who are waiting to adopt or who have adopted. I would encourage you to get plugged into this group as, I believe, it is the most valuable resource that FLS can offer for supporting waiting families. Please RSVP directly to the email address below if you wish to attend or contact them to get on the invitation list if you have not already received this email from the group. Invitation for the upcoming meeting is below. ~Deanne


Happy Fall Everyone!

We will be meeting next Tuesday night, October 5, from 6:30 - 8:00 for an adults-only fellowship at the home of Clayton and Robyn. Please join us to renew acquaintances and friendships and support each other in the various stages of our adoption journeys. RSVP to dkillmon@juno.com as soon as possible but no later than this Friday, October 1st and I'll provide you with location in Lynchburg and directions.

Looking forward to seeing you all,
Clayton and Robyn
Dean and Kathy

Love & Appreciation for an FLS Foster Family

FLS has 8 foster families who work directly with our agency to provide transitional care for infants until all parental rights have been terminated.  These families give selflessly of their time, families, and homes to give 100% to the infants who join their families for a short time.  I stumbled upon this post that was written by an adoptive family who adopted their daughter, Grace, earlier this year and was given permission to share it with you.  It is a beautiful tribute to the foster family who had a part in their family's adoption story.

As many of you know Grace was in foster care for the first four months of her life. I know many people think of the "foster care" term in a negative light, however, Grace had the most incredible foster parents we lovingly call Mommy Cheryl and Daddy Gary.

First let me give you a little background on Mommy Cheryl and Daddy Gary. They are a wonderful Christian couple who love the Lord and it is very evident. Gary and Cheryl have three adopted children themselves Becca, Jason and Debbie. Becca and Jason are in college and Debbie is a high school senior. Gary and Cheryl have been fostering, I believe, for 8 - 10 years. They only foster babies from the adoption agency (Family Life Services) we received Grace from. Needless to say they have LOTS of experience and it shows!

Everyone knows how much of a gift Grace is to Eric and I, but she started out as unexpected gift to the Sumner family. In December Gary lost his job where he had been employed for many years. The Sumner kiddos were home for Christmas break and after Christmas they got a call that they would be fostering a baby girl until her forever family could get her. Grace entered the world....December 28 and from what the Sumners have explained to us she was an angel from the beginning. A couple of weeks later, Becca and Jason headed back to college and Grace had the privilege of getting undivided attention from Daddy Gary and Mommy Cheryl. They took her everywhere church (never missed a Sunday, even her first week of life), out to eat, errands, and high school events. Debbie was able to spend alot of time with her and it was evident even at four months they had a special bond. Grace adored Daddy Gary and would always give him big smiles. In just the little time we spent with Gary and Cheryl after our placement ceremony (a day and a night) Mommy Cheryl had the touch to calm Grace and soothe her.

I had many people tell me once we got her home, we received an angel baby. Eric and I never had to endure sleepless nights and we pretty much have a happy camper all the time! I attribute alot of Grace's transition and easy goingness to Mommy Cheryl and Daddy Gary. They will not take credit for it. They say Grace was blessed with a wonderful temperment. It is clear to me they played a big part in it all!

A couple of weeks ago we went home (my folks home) and had the privilege of spending some time with Daddy Gary and Mommy Cheryl. We had dinner at our favorite place, Cracker Barrel. Apparently Grace had been there quite a few times in the first four months of her life. As we were drving to VA I realized we had had Grace for four months the same amount of time the Sumners had Grace. I realized how much love Eric and I have for the precious little one God entrusted to us. It made me realize once again how difficult it must have been for them to put her in our car (April 24) that last time and watch us drive off.

I remember speaking to Cheryl the day she was handing Grace over to us. Cheryl said, "we love and get attached to our babies if we didn't we wouldn't be doing our job." Gary and Cheryl, thank you for being obedient in your call to be foster parents and loving our Hannah Grace as she was one of your own. We will never forget and will continue to visit this incredible family who loved and guarded our little girl until it was God's timing for us to come and make her our own.

We love you!

Eric, Heidi and Grace

P.S. - God provided Daddy Gary a new job soon after Grace came to live us.

Who Do You Support?

Lately, this question has been raised a few times and it has prompted me to really think about a Christian's role in providing monetary support for ministries and organizations that would be considered "Kingdom Causes".   Do you have to choose just one in order to fully pledge your allegiance to that organization and their declared purpose?  I don't believe so. 

As managers of whatever financial resources God has entrusted to us, we have been given a responsibility to become givers and, to me, that is an exciting opportunity to participate in many ministries that impact the world.  

Our umbrella organization, The Liberty Godparent Foundation, recently launched a popular fundraiser collecting loose change in a Baby Bottle Drive and it was almost shocking to hear some individuals and churches decline involvement because they already participate in another loose change drive for another ministry in another month of the year.  My response - GREAT!  Thank you for supporting multiple ministries that impact the lives of people. 

Let's get past this idea that there is competition in fundraising and get on board to support as many ministries as you are able to contribute to in a small or large way.  My husband and I have been able to support organizations that impact the US, Canada, Brazil, Haiti, and Thailand this year....I don't view this as a financial burden but rather as a financial opportunity to be a part of something big in each of these places!

The Liberty Godparent Foundation feels strongly about supporting other local organizations that share a commitment to saving and changing lives of babies and parents.  We sent staff to a fundraiser for Blue Ridge Pregnancy Center in our city of Lynchburg, Virginia this month and some of us are heading out to a fundraiser for Blue Ridge Women's Center in Roanoke, Virginia later today.  These are such worthy ministry partners and I would encourage you, if you are not doing so already, to look around your community and get involved in supporting some outreach organizations - you will find that you are the one who will receive a blessing.

Pictures of Garrett's Adoption Day

Adoptive parents, Bill and Heather, celebrated the placement of baby Garrett Lane into their family on Wednesday, September 8th.  Big brother, Aiden, was so excited to finally meet this baby that his parents had been talking to him about!

If I could describe this placement in one word, it would be - sweet.  Garrett's birth family and adoptive family recognized the hand of God all over each of their steps to bring them to this day and there was truly an overwhelming presence of joy on this placement day.  When Garrett's birth mother brought him in to meet Bill and Heather, there was not a dry eye in the room as we saw the obvious connection of love between both families. 

More pictures from placement day are posted on the blog sidebar or you can click here to see a slideshow.    Happy Adoption Day, Garrett!