Loved.

I don't even know where to begin.  God provides far beyond what we could ever ask or think, and definitely beyond what we deserve.

Adoption is turning out to be the greatest blessing we've ever been given.  People keep telling us how lucky our child will be, but I can't stop thinking about how lucky Andrew and I are.

When we started this process a little over a month ago, we had no idea how we would even begin to pay for it.  We had saved some, but such a large chunk of money is due up front that we didn't think we would be able to go through with adopting.  We eventually decided that if we waited until we had all of the money, we would probably end up waiting forever.  It's never the "right time" to have a baby, to marry that guy, to buy a house, or to quit that "safe" job to do something you love.  Sometimes you just have to jump into the unknown with both feet and trust that the pieces will fit together at exactly the right time.  Boy, have they ever!

On February 11th, my husband starting growing a mustache.  I'm not against facial hair in general, but I'm against facial hair on his handsome, clean-shaven face because (as he will admit) he can't grow it.  We're calling this campaign the "Stache-a-Thon for Adoption."  When Andrew's friend made the suggestion, he boldly declared that he thought we could raise $1,000 for our cause, to which I scoffed and said that that was a very nice and very impossible idea.  Less than 24 hours later, we hit the $1,000 mark, and people are still continuing to give.

The stache as of 2/17/13.  Looking like a caterpillar.

I've heard of people receiving $10,000 anonymously in the mail so that they can finance their adoption.  That's pretty incredible.  I love the way our story is being written, though- in smaller but equally humbling ways.  The $5 from that student of mine at camp, the $20 from a friend of a friend who doesn't even know us, or the larger sum from a couple who clearly made a huge sacrifice to help us are undeniably important and beautiful.

On Friday night, our friends threw us an adoption dinner party.  The idea was for people to come and have breakfast for dinner (or "brinner," as we like to call it), and donate the money that they would have otherwise spent on going out to dinner to us.  Great idea, right?  I was so honored when my friend told me that they wanted to do this for Andrew and me.  I thought we might make $100, which would have been helpful, wonderful, and totally worth it.  At the end of the night when the money was counted...

$1,046.  

I burst into tears.  

I've never known love like this.  People were very generous for our wedding, but this is a whole other thing.  I can't wait to one day tell our sweet child how much he was loved before anyone even knew him.  (Gosh, some of the people that came to that party didn't even know us!)  

Sometimes there just are not adequate words to express gratitude.  

I think this guy from Saudi Arabia summed up the whole evening pretty well in his post on Facebook.  He had come with his roommate and didn't know anyone else at the party.

"I had a great time hanging out with you guys (meaning the whole group).  It was really amazing to see how you all love each other and did this great thing for a couple.  I felt like I was with my family."

Yeah, me too.  

Family.  It truly is beautiful to see people love each other the way that God intended for people to love.  I don't think we deserve that, but I sure am thankful.  I'm thankful for such wonderful people, for an extremely gracious God, and for the astounding way that He is writing this "story of rescue." 

Unfortunately, a bunch of people had already left when we thought to snap this picture.

Jordan.

Abby set up this lovely table so that people could write notes to us and Baby Fenrick.

Jordan and Abby, our amazing hostesses.  

"The Three Families."  Love these folks so much.

Laura.  You can't see her hand on my non-pregnant belly.

If you'd like to give to the Stache-a-Thon for Adoption, you can go here.