Yard Sale

Those of you who follow adoptions and have adopted know that it is very expensive!  Many people do different things to raise money for their adoptions.  We are just beginning!  We would like to ask people to donate "stuff" to our Adoption Fundraiser Yard Sale.  We are planning on having it on June 17 & 18.  Since we live in Milan, we will be glad to work out a time to come pick up any items you might have to donate.  Anything you have to give is much appreciated!  You can send me a message on facebook or email me at allyson_barden@hotmail.com to work out a time that we can get together.  Thank you for your support and continued prayers to help us bring our child(ren) home!

How We Have Come to the Decision to Adopt

Early in our marriage we decided that we would one day adopt.  Our original plan was to have two children biologically, then our third would be adopted.  We planned for our children to be three years apart in age (which are first two are - almost exactly).  Then after Baylee was born, we began talking about having three children biologically, then we would adopt - maybe we could handle four children!

During "orphan month" at our church (West Jackson Baptist Church), we began talking and feeling God's call that our next child should be adopted.  Our plans invovled waiting until we could move into a bigger house and put back some money to be able to afford it.  However, God had different plans in mind.  At the beginning of this year, Andy and Charity spoke in our Sunday School class about adoption.  Andy said "God called us to adopt even though we didn't have the money or the space."  I hadn't even thought about trying adopt while we lived in our current house and had not planned for it financially.  A few weeks later while sitting in church I felt God's call to adopt "Right Now".   I felt that to delay was to disobey.  Justin and I began discussing it, and within a few weeks we had applied to America World's Ethiopia program. 

We have requested an infant boy (Justin needs a male in the house!) with the possibility of a sibling three years or younger.  There are not many sibiling groups in this age range, so we have been informed that it will be unlikely.  However, we feel that if God wants us to bring two children home, we will.  We have taken a leap in faith and have already seen God's hand in this.  We can't wait to see what else He is going to do to help us bring our child(ren) home!

Just getting started

We have to admit that we are new to the "blogger" life. However, with such a huge God-ordained journey taking place in our lives, we felt a need to share with others what God is doing for us and through us. Allyson and I ask for your daily prayers as we move through this long, and sometimes slow, process of adoption. We are so excited with the prospect of having a son (or maybe 2). God is doing a great work in our lives, and we can't wait to see how it all comes about.


"He predestined us to be adopted as his sons
through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—"
Ephesians 1:5 (NIV)