You might be wondering how does a family get to the place where they decide to adopt a family of 4 girls? Here is the beginning of our story.
Greg and I have been discussing adopting a daughter for a few years. We have discussed different countries and different ages, trying to determine what God's plan for our family was. In December 2012, we knew the timing was right to put the plan into action. We researched and found an established adoption agency who worked with the Philippines. In February of 2013, I contacted Christian Adoption Agency and told them we had interest in adopting a healthy girl around 4 years old and wanted to know how to get started. Greg knew all along that God was going to send an older sister with this 4 year old girl. In less than 1 week, I received an email with a Special Home Finding request for 4 sisters. Yes, it was a perfectly healthy 4 year old girl and her 3 perfectly healthy sisters. Greg and I prayed about it for about 5 minutes and then we knew, with His help, these girls were God's plan for our future.
We have completed all of the interviews, paperwork, and most of the waiting. We found out on the morning after Christmas that the Filipino government officially matched the girls to our family on December 20. That was the only Christmas present that we wanted this year - Praise the Lord!
We still have a few more months before we can bring the girls to their forever home. The next steps are to get their Visas and Passports. That should take between 3 - 5 months. Then Greg and I will go to the Philippines for about 7 days and bring them home.
In the mean time, we hope to be able to Skype with the girls soon. I have made photo books to introduce our family and home which I will send to them soon. We are doing a few small construction projects at the house. The girls will be moving into Harper's room. Harper is getting a new bedroom. And we are turning the garage into a large family room. Thank you VERY MUCH to some friends who are volunteering towards these efforts!
Please pray for the six of us in Alabama as we make changes to our home and prepare for our sisters. Please pray for our four girls in the Philippines as they learn of their forever family and the changes to come. None of this possible without the love of Jesus Christ my Lord!
Greg and Lesley Garner
Thomas - 26, Jordan - 18, Harper - 16, Myla - 15, Rea - 12, Cole - 11, Sheryl - 10, Rosemarie - 5
