our adoption story.

We are very excited to share what the Lord has been doing in our lives the past few weeks. However the story does not start there. About six months ago God started placing people in our lives that had adopted. It was great to have some first hand information and to see where God would one day take us. So we decided to contact a local agency about more information on adoption. We received a packet from the agency and after reading it felt a peace about waiting, saving and letting God tell us when to move. We continued to feel such a peace about waiting and knew we were where God wanted us. In January I started a new job at a local church where multiple people had adopted and I continued to hear first hand how God used adoption in these families lives. In February I started to feel God change my heart; I started to have major baby fever. I had a longing for a baby to love. I just knew God was teaching me patience because Michael and I had just discussed our plan to pay off debt to save for a baby. The plan was to save and wait for God tell us when, however we were prepared for a few years down the road. But God was preparing our hearts for something bigger.

On Friday, February 22, We received a call from my OBGYN, who knew our situation and desire to adopt, that he had a patient in labor who wanted to give her child up for adoption. As I heard him say these words I couldn't help but to cry. I immediately called Michael who was stunned, as was I. We were not prepared for this, but this is what wanted, a baby. We had not planned on this time, but if was God's time then it was perfect and we decided to do anything and everything in our power to chase this child and make it ours. My doctor informed us that he had contacted us and two other families and the birth mom wanted to meet each family and make her decision from there. We just started praying and calling on others to pray with us. I talked with my boss who prayed for us and suggested I contact a lady in their church who ran an adoption agency, the same one we had previous contacted. After speaking with her and knowing legally we hadn't been open to adopt this would only happen by the hand of God. So we prayed more. We were broken before the Lord not knowing what was going to happen but our desire was to be completely obedient no matter the cost.

We met with the adopt agency and the birth mother on Saturday morning and within 2 hours we received the call that she had chosen us. We both cried and just sat in silent awe of God. He had given us the desire of our heart. We had no idea how we were going to afford the adoption or live month to month, but we knew we were in the center of God's will. It was then we decided to name our baby girl Vivienne Grace Moon. Vivienne means alive and Grace means an unmerited divine assistance given humans for their regeneration and sanctification. That is Vivienne, she is Alive by his Grace. We got to meet our baby girl for the first time that evening. She was healthy and beautiful and our hearts were overjoyed. We spent the next few days doing everything we could to speed up the adoption process. We filled out paper work and gathered documents for 2 straight days. We were originally told that she would need to stay in the NICU for about a week because she was congested and that made it difficult for her to take a bottle. However we received a call Monday that she was ready for a "room in" and then to be released on Tuesday. We knew the paperwork and background checks wouldn't be done by then, not to mention home studies. But we had peace about her going into the agency's "cradle care" until everything was done. Monday evening we did the first part of our home study then packed our bags to stay with our baby girl for the first time. It was great to spend all that time with her, bonding. The next morning our adoption specialist came with the lady that would keep Vivienne until our child maul treatment check came back clear. The agent told us she was trying to expedite the child maul treatment background check but they wouldn't do it and it would take 7-10 days. We had a peace knowing that our baby would get the best care and she was right down the road and we could see her anytime we wanted. We started packing her bag and getting the car seat ready to hand her off to the cradle care family. Then our agent stepped back in the room and told us, "well I guess he didn't want to hear from me every day so you can take her home!" They expedited the background checks and we were clear and legal to take her home!

 The Lord kept exceeding our expectations. We knew one day, when the time was right he would bless us with a child, but we had no idea it would be in this surprising, wonderful way. We knew he could move mountains  but we couldn't imagine how quickly and perfectly he could. He revealed so much about himself and ourselves during this process. We knew beyond a shadow of a doubt he was calling us to be obedient. He knew we wanted a baby and he was giving it to us, but we had to be completely obedient and be willing to fully surrender. Surrender our financially comfortable life, my job, objects and things, our complete selves. And we did. We came to the ends of ourselves and he met us there. He has given us a wonderful birth mother to our child. A lady who is not only beautiful outside, but in. A unique relationship where we have been able to share his name and constantly pray for her and encourage her along this journey. Our prayer now is that we give him all the glory. That people know how faithful, how bold and how gracious our God is. We pray that we can give Vivienne that life that her birth mother wanted for her.  We pray she knows our Savior in a personal way. We pray she is a blessing to him and dedicates her life to him. We also pray that one day she will be able to write out her testimony and send it to her birth mother. We pray she impacts the world.

Although she is home with us we still need your support. You can first and foremost pray for our family. Pray that God will give us wisdom as we continue in the process and raise this baby girl. You can "Like" our facebook page "Alive by Grace" (just look for the Sweet Moon Baby Book picture) for updates and information on fundraisers. You can give to our paypal account michael.s.moon@gmail.com saying "donation." We still have adoption cost that need to be covered so Vivienne can be forever ours. We pray and know through faith he will provide exactly what we need, when we need it. Once our sweet baby girl is forever ours we will be able to post more pictures that will actually show her face. 

First family photo

 

He was curious but excited about his new baby sister

He is totally smitten over his sister

Thank you to those of us that have supported us, words can never express how much it means to us. We give God all the glory for gives us this precious life. 

Lindsey