news!!!

"Once our eyes are opened we can't pretend we don't know what to do. God, who weighs our hearts and keeps our souls, knows that we know and holds us responsible to act."
Proverbs 24:12

we have some news!
the Cassada's have some news.

i'm not going to beat around the bush and make you guess {although that would be kinda fun!}

we are adopting.
2 children.
from Rwanda.

{!!!!!}

i know!

if you've read this blog for any amount of time i don't think that will come as a complete surprise to you. maybe you weren't expecting it today. but my heart has been "here" for awhile.

here's part of an email i sent to my closest friends "announcing our news" a couple weeks ago:
Pat and I have been blessed with so much…our health, and 4 healthy children, a job for Pat that allows me to stay at home with our kids AND that more than provides for our needs! Over the last couple years we’ve been talking/reading/praying/searching to see what God would have us do with all the blessings He’s bestowed on us. We’ve learned over the years, that if we keep pursuing His heart, He will guide us and bless us in ways we couldn’t have even HOPED for! And we want to be a PART of Him working. As part of that searching, Africa has become very close to my heart. I’ve never set foot in it, but I hurt for the people, and love them in ways that can only be His love. And the orphans…the millions of orphans…it’s not ok. And I LOVE being a mom. Is my life already full? YES. And crazy? YES. But does that mean I can’t open my arms and heart to more? My answer is NO (that doesn’t mean I think it should be everyone’s answer!) Adopting children from Africa has just seemed like “it”…what God wants from us at this point in our lives…where He’s been leading us the last couple years. It is clear to both of us. We’re both on the same page. We don’t expect it to be easy…the process, or the initial adjustment, or even down the road. There will be MANY issues/setbacks. But God is with us. And I just have to cling to that.

i hope to do a number of posts over the next week or so answering some of the questions we are getting. i can't answer it all here in one post.

but here are just a few answers.

why are you adopting?
the short answer: because we can.
that is not meant to sound "flip" or "sarcastic." our eyes have been opened to the suffering out there. and God has blessed us immensely. we've been seeking Him...asking Him what He wants us to do with what He's given us. and this is where we've been led. out of obedience we are stepping forward.

do you know who the children are?
no. we won't be referred the specific children for 6 months or more.

why 2 children?
i can give some reasons for this. but the biggest reason is because that's what we felt called to do. the "practical" reasons are: if we are willing to adopt 1, why not 2?, and they will at least have 1 other person in their family that "looks like them"

why Rwanda?
i have a heart for Africa. so we knew that's where we were headed. we decided on an agency that we felt comfortable with (this was very important to us!) and they are Ethiopia and Rwanda. the Rwanda program is much newer, riskier, not as smooth. so that's what we picked :-)

plus: 1 in 5 children in Rwanda won't live until they are 5 years old.
do you need much more reason??
this is not about giving them a "better" life...it's about giving them LIFE.

where are you in the process?
we started the process about 2 months ago.
we are just starting our home study.
the process should take 12-18 months.


i've had an adoption blog that i've been journaling through for the last 14 months or so.
feel free to check it out. {click on "check it out"}
i will be transferring those posts to this blog {in the dates they belong...for the blog book :-)}
and i won't be posting on that blog anymore.
i will be posting about adoption stuff here now {in addition to all the normal, everyday "Cassada stuff"!}
if you aren't interested...sorry!
i don't want to keep up 2 blogs!

let me know if you have any questions!
i'll try to answer them all here!
i'd love to encourage a "spirit of adoption"...whether you might adopt one day...or help support someone that wants to...or help orphans in need around the world in other tangible ways...and i'd like to be open to any questions or concerns people have about it.

we are excited for what God is going to do.
we count it a blessing to be used by Him.
we covet your prayers and appreciate your support!