We are Matched!!!

Finally, we are matched!  We very soon may have a baby!!  He is due by c-section on August 1 in Florida.  We have a long road ahead of us because he has Gastoschisis.  He will need a surgery immediately after birth, and depending on how much intestines they are able to get in, he made need another surgery after they have gradually (over about a weeks time) put all of the intestines back in his body.  We are praying for the best and no other complications that will require more surgery or more time in the NICU.  What will take him the longest is learning how to eat and digest food.  I have heard babies go home as early as one week, and I have heard babies that have stayed 6 months.

We won't know the severity of his case until he is born.  And even then we will have to take it day by day.  I have so much to say, but I think I'm going to have to do it in several posts.  I do want to put in this post all the crazy things that God has worked out.  He has made himself very apparent to us.

1. This is really minor but strange.  Back in April I felt like something was going to happen on the 8th.  At the time, I thought maybe the baby we were waiting for back then was going to be born on the 8th.  The 8th came and went and I didn't think much about it, but I have not been able to shake the number 8 from my mind.  This baby's due date is 8-8-2013.

2. Because this baby is a special needs baby, he is going to qualify for an adoption subsidy.  The amount of the subsidy that we will get per month, is the exact amount of the monthly loan payments that we have looked into getting.

3.  My mom has been supportive of the adoption and even bought the baby some things.  However, she has been very reserved, hesitate, and worried about us having a third child.  The moment I told her about this baby, she started crying and said, "I think this is the baby."  She has not only felt confident that this is the baby, but she has a strong desire for us to go through with this adoption.  This was all before we knew if we were picked, or even before we sent our profile.

4. The social worker in Florida recommended a hotel to us (until we can get into the Ronald McDonald House).  It was $85 per night, which is a discount for adoptive families.  I felt like with my experience on priceline that I could get a better deal.  If you know about bidding on priceline you don't get to pick your hotel.  You just tell it how much you want to spend, the area, and how many stars you want the hotel to have.  Guess which hotel it picked?  The one the adoption agency recommended...only we get it for $40 a night!

I know we have a long road ahead, but God is certainly putting the pieces together.  Please pray for this little guy and his birthmother!!  I will have to keep the blog updated a lot more now!