2018

It started out with blissful elation!

We had a lot of heartbreak.

And somehow we ended up right where we started! Full of joy.

Kevin and I have been in a season of waiting. A very exciting, yet frustrating season. 

Becoming parents…

Pregnancy

The loss of Rowan.

Adoption

Becoming parents, for us…Is a long process.

A breathtakingly maniacal process.

I feel like we have been on  a roller coaster! We have had so many highs. It has been glorious. We’ve had a lot of lows. The disappointment has been overwhelming at times. But over all we’ve stayed on track and somehow managed to survive. 

Our faith remains strong as our convictions strengthen and we continue on our journey.

In February we lost our baby, Rowan Quinn Russell, in a late term miscarriage due to Pprom. 

Tragedy is strange. The world keeps turning while grief seems to make time stand still. 

We picked up the pieces of our hearts, put one foot in front of the other, and found our new normal. 

We started the adoption path in 2017 and held steady in our desire to adopt in 2018.

In April we attended an event put on by project zero. The event is to match waiting families (families who are approved by DHS to adopt) and waiting children (kids who are currently in foster care but will not be reunited with biological family and are ready for adoption). We met so many wonderful children age 2-17. Each equally deserving of a forever home!

We always knew we wanted to adopt a sibling group. It’s a passion of ours to keep siblings together. The sibling bond is irreplaceable. 

We first met a boy and a girl, they were precious. Kevin and I both felt an instant connection. Soon a third sibling arrived to join us by the bouncy house.

WAIT, did someone say bouncy house?!

And all of the sudden there were 4.

A sibling group of 4!

We did not go into this thinking, “ we should definitely go from zero to four, that sounds amazing!”

We did go into this with prayer and full trust in God.

So…we took a big leap…

And guess what?!

WE WERE CHOSEN FOR THE SIBLING GROUP OF FOUR!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Four children! All at once!! 4 kids with 4 different personalities and 4 very different opinions of everything! Four beautifully wonderful little humans. And we get to be their parents!!!!!!!!!

This was not a fast process. We met them in April (thank you Project Zero!). We didn’t see them again until August.

Since August we have spent nearly every weekend getting to know them.

Last weekend we welcomed our kids home to be loved forever. Our hearts are full!

We ask you to join us in prayer. Pray for acceptance, peace, and guidance. We have no idea what we are doing!

We are so thankful we get to do it!!

We are forever grateful to our amazing community. You have surrounded us with love. We are blessed.

Good bye 2018, you are a year full of milestones. 

We, #RussellFamilyofSix , look forward to 2019. 

*If you’re interested in foster or adoption, let me know. I can hook you up with the awesome ladies at The CALL in NWA.*