Karolkiewicz Party of Six... Announcing #4!

Well, friends... It's time to officially share some of the most exciting news we've ever had. Quite a few of you already know, and have been a tremendous encouragement and support to us, and to those of you who don't already know- don't take it personally- we've been keeping it relatively quiet until we were a little further along... But without further adeu...

We have seen her face, and our daughter is truly one of the most fantastically beautiful and precious children I've had the pleasure to lay my eyes on... Even just through a screen. 

This is a work that God started on my heart when I was nine years old in Miss Bosch's third grade class. She read us the story of Gladys Alyward, the missionary to China who saved hundreds of Chinese orphans during World War II. I started writing stories of the little girl I would adopt from China and even had the Asian American Girl Bitty Baby (I still have both!). 

Life got crazy, and I began to struggle with anxiety. Since China prohibited people struggling with ANY type of mental health disorder from adopting (despite the level of severity) we moved on from the China idea and began focusing on adopting an older child from the foster care system... But then we received our surprise Smith Wyatt and that got halted mid process.

Soon after Smith was born we realized we'd be moving across the country, away from our support system, and just knew we were not equipped for foster care/adoption at this time. We knew we were called to adopt, so we decided to let God lead us to adopt how and where He wanted us to.

In February, we flew over Haiti on our way to Kris' company's president's club trip, and I started thinking about the orphans on that island alone. I knew international adoption would require some long term planning financially, so I called around to help us narrow down the program we were interested in so we could start to plan.

On that very first call, the social worker explained that she thought we would actually be best suited to adopt from China. I was so, so confused and reminded her that I struggle with anxiety therefore wasn't eligible to adopt from China (come on lady- get it together! ha!). Imagine my surprise when she explained that actually China had recently overturned that, and now those with mild, controlled anxiety were eligible... Just in time for my 29.5 birthday- the youngest age you are even allowed to apply to a China program.

Kris came home from work and definitely got the same goosebumps I did when I shared my conversation with the social worker, and we just knew that the same God who called my little nine year old self to adopt a daughter from China in Miss Bosch's classroom, was the same God who was opening every door and pointing so clearly to this path for our family. 

That week, during my devotions I was so overwhelmed that EVERYTIME Jesus called someone to follow where He led, they were supposed to go immediately. I fact, those who tried to go "get ready" to follow him were actually condemned. That Sunday, our church's youth pastor spoke and said "if the Bible tells us as Christians to do something, you don't have to take time to pray about whether or not it's Gods will for you." Okay, God, we got it :)

We found her quickly. Her face was familiar to us- like we already knew her. Her medical file didn't scare us. She is 1.5 right now- 7 months older than Smith. Her birth mom and I were both pregnant at the same time for a few months, and something about that warms my heart, and gives me this weird, wonderfully emotional connection to her birth mom. 

So here we are, working our butts off chasing paper for our home study and dossier, selling everything we can possibly sell to raise money, and will be applying for as many grants as possible, as soon as our home study is finished.

So what can you do?

Pray. Pray for this girl. Caroline Mercy- who I have never met in person but already love more than I have ever imagined possible.

Pray for her foster parents. Pray for her therapists and doctors. Pray for her heart.

Pray for our family. Pray for provision.

Lastly, our current need is for (non-family) friends who are willing to be a personal reference for some of our many grant applications we are in the process of completing. If you would be willing, we would SO appreciate it. Please just let me know in the comments, or email me directly at: amanda.karolkiewicz@gmail.com, and I will let you know what information we will need from you. We have so many applications and don't want to burn out the same people over and over again :)

My goal is to keep everyone up to date during this journey via this blog. I know adoption is scary and not everyone's calling, and I also know that if we could just share some of our journey, maybe God might work on someone else's heart to encourage them to love who Jesus loved, how Jesus loved them, through adoption. 

Thanks for reading, friends! What a journey this will be!

To our Sweet Caroline- good times never seemed so good. :)