Introducing Connor!

Well, I know that many of you have been waiting to hear all about our newest son, Connor! 

Connor- 13

 

This very special boy is 13 years old and as many of you know, that means his time to be adopted is running short. Couldn't you just eat him up?  I truly don't know how we keep ending up with these crazy handsome boys, but oh my!

 

Many know sweet Connor as "Chad".  Our sweet friends Annie and Kim have both advocated tirelessly for this child and his friend Chaz, who still needs a family and is aging out soon!

 

So, here is some of the "back story". 

 

A couple of weeks ago, my friend Kim, who is in LOVE with this child, called the house and apparently told Tom all about him and how much she wanted him to have a family.

 

When I returned home that night, Tom says, "So, tell me about 'Chad'".

 

After I picked my jaw up off the floor, I pulled his file and videos and showed Tom this sweet boy.  Because it was SOOO strange that Tom even bothered to ask me about him, I also emailed some co-workers, who JUST SO HAPPENED to be at his orphanage that very day IN CH*NA!  I knew that my other advocate friends would want to get updated pics/video of him also, so I sent off a few questions and asked them to see him since they were AT HIS ORPHANAGE! 

 

Well, just as quickly as the inquiry came, Tom announces that he is a very nice boy, but we are only bringing home one! (Anyone else ever had their hubby say that???? Heehee)

 

Thing is, I actually believed him, so when the team came back from the orphanage in Ch*na, I didn't even ask for the update that I had requested. 

Several days later, my sweet co-worker, Logan,

 asked if I wanted to see the responses he gave.  Of course, I said yes.

This was Friday night when the email came through, right before I was hopping into the car to take Colin and Tommy to the high school football game.

Colin, being the super nosey teenager that he is, just had to take a look at the pictures that I pulled up on my laptop.  (ok, cutting him some slack here, 'cause let's face it, seeing a chinese boy his age is a rare thing in these parts!)

With little time left to get to the game, I didn't have much time to look over what was sent to me. So, off we went.  What I wasn't expecting was that Colin would be the one to ask about him on the way to the game.

We were rushed and I was thinking about rush hour traffic while God was pressing on Colin's heart!

In a nutshell, he asked about who that boy was.  I told him.  He asked how old he was.  I told him.  Then....he started having this rhetorical conversation with himself, out loud, about all the reasons that our bunks were full and how we couldn't be the ones to bring him home. 

But, just as quickly as the logical reasons flowed, so did the solutions.  It was something I wish I could have videotaped!

Here he is talking to himself, sort-of, and he begins to solve each problem he had just listed.

Knowing that adoption is not like getting a puppy, I felt it necessary to point out all the sacrificies that would have to be made in order for us to ever consider ANOTHER child.

Then it happened!

That beautiful, caring boy...

the boy who just one short year ago WAS the waiting boy around the world,
looked me in the eye and said,

"It's true, Mama.  We would have to lose a little, but He...he would get a LOT!"

Now, I want that to sink in for a moment.  Everyone of you who has a teenager, or who has ever raised one, just think about that.

This 15 year old boy, who now has more than he has ever had before in his life, was willing, with virtually no thought whatsoever, to give up the chance at more because he knew what it would mean for someone else.

Really, what does one say to that?  Is there any amount of selfishness that can exist in the face of that pure and giving spirit?

I could not think of one single material thing that mattered to me more in that moment than what we had the opportunity to offer this child.

Later that night, after the game, Colin was headed upstairs to bed when he stopped halfway and whispered down to me, "Mama, talk to Dad!"

Now, those who know Colin, know that by whisper, I do not mean quietly! So, of course, Tom overheard that.

Once Colin was up and out of sight, Tom asked what that was all about.  I simply said that Colin wanted me to talk to him about "Chad".  He looked surprised, but I did not go any further.

I went to sleep that night and was very restless. So, I prayed that if God was intending for us to be doing something with all this that He would use Tom because I was resolute that I was not going to push another child into our home.  This was going to have to be a clear calling from God. 

The next morning it happened.  Tom got up early to cook a wonderful breakfast for the kids and me.  For some strange reason, the boys raced through their food that morning and rushed off to start their chores, leaving Tom and me ALONE at the table with our coffee.
(A side note here:  THIS NEVER HAPPENS!  Did you catch that we were alone???)

Suddenly, Tom says, "Tell me more about your conversation with Colin last night."

So, I then proceeded to share with him exactly what I shared above with you all.  Then, as if it were an episode of "Freaky Friday", Tom begins to have the same conversation with himself, that Colin had in the car the night before.  And, just like Colin, it took no time at all before he began to verbally solve those same "problems" excuses for himself.  Before I knew it, statements like, "If we brought home another boy...it would mean..." turned into "When we bring him home, we will need to..." 

Realizing that the tide had suddenly turned, I asked him, "Do you hear yourself?  Are you actually considering this?"

His response? 

"This child looks like a Rylands, and I believe God wants us to bring him home".

Isn't God good? 

We agreed together that this was our son and called the boys down to discuss it with them.  We had an immediate concensus, so we sent off the email to lock his file.

Of course, there is still a tremendous amount of work to be done and much money to raise in order to fulfill this calling, but we believe in our hearts that this child was called to our family by God himself, just like Colin, Cameron and Cooper were and we rejoice that He will provide the resources we need to accomplish this goal!

There are several fundraising efforts in the works, so please check back often if you want to financially support us in this journey.

If you feel the Lord leading you to give, you can donate via paypal, or you can give a tax-free donation through Journey Together Ministries.

This local non-profit organization has approved our family as a "Hope Fund" family and will accept donations on our behalf.  You can read more about "JTM" and our family on their website here and here.

Together, we can all help these sweet boys come home to a family that loves them.

Many thanks,
Tom, Angie, Colin, Connor, Cameron, Cooper and Tommy!