Meet PEANUT! (:

How EXCITING! Well here's Peanut! That's what Daddy calls him?  her?  We shall see! 10 weeks and counting....   Marty put together the crib, dresser, and changing table this weekend. Helps to have worked for a furniture store, he whipped it together in no time! I've been a little tired, moody, and hungry! Hormones can be rough. OB is sending me to a specialist in Tampa next month. I will be seeing them regularly since I am of "advanced age"! Never thought 37 was considered advanced but in pregnancy world, I guess so! Hoping to have another ultrasound in 6 weeks and see whether Peanut is a girl or boy! I want to go shopping! (:

 

 

 

 

 

Gods Plan.... 

 

Our plans to adopt have been put on hold as we embrace the gift of pregnancy!!! So excited to be pregnant again after 18 years! God is so good! He loves us and he wants us to have everything GOOD that our heart desires! I know that everything will work out and that his timing is perfect. I intend to continue to update this blog with our pregnancy story and updates on ways we can all help orphans around the world. The day will come when God chooses us to care for a child in need. In the meantime we are not going to worry about the past or fret about the future, we are going to enjoy the blessing he has given us today!

James 1:27

    Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.

Jennifer & Martin Quinn

 

 

                                      My Husband and I

 

Martin and I met at work and became good friends. I was a single Mother and Marty was a single Father. Austin was 2 1/2 and Alexis was 6. We started dating soon after and eventually became a family. Marty had full custody of his son and I thought Austin was adorable. He was so young and began calling me Mom shortly after we began dating. Our family was blended and I worried alot! The world tells you many things about blended families and the difficulties. But we never listened and the kids never seemed to mind. We took many family vacations to Disney, Key West, New Jersey...... On weekends we went to museums, flea markets, boating, fairs, zoo's whatever was going on we were a part of it! They were very different children with different make-ups and different needs but one thing was the same we loved them both! Equally! and we insisted our families do the same. Throughout the years we have had good times and bad but our family was never negotiable! We were dedicated to eachother and to our children. I couldn't ask for a better husband and father to our kids! I think all parents question their ability to parent but if our children are any indication of our parenting, I think we did a darn good job! (: We have no doubt we have the love, patience, and space in our hearts to care for an orphan. We have a proven track record of loving children that are not ours biologically. I feel blessed to have Austin as my son and I know Marty feels the same about Alexis. (:








Meet our son Austin

                                          

                                                  Austin

Austin is my serious boy! He is goal driven and an Honor Roll student. He works hard and plays hard! Aussie is 14 years old and itching to get his permit. He is excited about the adoption and asks about our progress everyday. I'm sure he thinks he'd have the paperwork done by now! lol! ;)  He is also my softy.... he asks me everyday how my day was and if I need anything. He gets so concerned when I am sick and is a great listener! He worries about me almost as much as I worry about him! Austin is a Freshman in High School. He is an outdoor boy and likes to be out with his Dad shooting pellet guns, riding four wheelers, fishing and boating. He has made us both extremely proud!

 

 

 

Meet our daughter Alexis

 

 

Alexis

This is Alexis, she is my oldest. Alexis is 18 years old and about to graduate! It is amazing how quickly they grow up. ): Alexis and I have been through a lot together. I had her when I was 19 years old. She has been my inspiration and drive to do better, work harder, and pray longer! I love this girl with all of my heart! I am proud of her for so many reasons! Her birth-father passed away while she was a sophmore and she came through it stronger and more in love with God!

 

 

 

Our Adoption......

This is the beginning of a journey God had planned for our lives all along. He decided to let us in on it this November. This is the beginning of our adoption story.......

My husband and I struggled turning our lives completely over to Christ. Always attending Church and then doing what we pleased until Sunday rolled around again....... In October we decided it was time to turn our backs on things of the world permanently and set our eyes on God and what pleased him. We had sold our boat and our friends stopped calling. We knew we had to surround ourselves with other Christians in order to strengthen our faith so we had distanced ourselves from people we knew would pull us back into the old routine. We weren't happy with the status quo and we knew God would work on their hearts. That was his job not ours. But once the dust settled I realized I was desperate to know what was next? Where did we go from here? What was God's plan for us?
On Monday November 19th, while looking for a Berkey Water System online. I decided to check Craigslist. I knew my odds of finding such an exclusive product on Craigslist was slim but the cost of these units was $300 so I decided to try! The only post on Craigslist for a Berkey Water Filter had been added just minutes before I looked? Now to some people that might be a coincidence, but as Christians we know better! I looked at my husband and said "This isnt about a Berkey anymore! Whoever this person is, I am suppose to meet them!" He had learned not to question me over the years so he said "go for it!"  I sent out an email and "Lindy House" responded, letting me know the Berkey was available. She was surprised to get a response so quickly. I agreed to come and purchase the Berkey for $125 the next day. At the bottom of Lindy's post was a blog. I clicked on the link and that is when Gods plan for me became evident. Lindy had adopted three beautiful boys with Down Syndrome from the Ukraine. Along with her three biological children, she and her husband Guy were raising them together in Brooksville Florida. Lindy's talent as a photographer and her amazing faith in God made me desperate to learn more about her story.
The moment I walked to her front door I was greeted by Levi, who quickly scurried up my body to be held. Kole peeked quietly from behind his mother's leg and Gabe looked up curiously from the safety of the couch. Lindy's other children were busy doing school work and smiled politely. I stayed 2 hours asking question after question about the boys and her adoption. Hanging on every word but not wanting to impose, but wanting to know everything about this unusual family with incredible faith in God. Faith. The thing all Christians struggle with. Trusting God, knowing he has a plan and allowing him to reveal that plan through us. The entire way home I prayed, made several wrong turns, and had a very open out loud conversation with God. Unlike my husband I am a grey person. He is black and white, in or out. After a long debate, I said to God "Ok if this is meant to be then Marty will be on board." Secretly thinking to myself "there is no way Marty will ever agree to spend thousands of dollars and fly halfway across the world! Phew! I wont have to do Gods work, it is too hard and it wont be my fault. If my husband says no, what am I to do?" 
Marty listened quietly while I told him about the House Family. I showed him their blog, videos, pics, and Reeces Rainbow. He didnt immediately respond. The following day I saw him on his laptop and asked what he was doing. He said "I am finding our child. We are going to adopt a child from the Ukraine. How soon can I meet Lindy and her family?"   WHAT!? I couldn't believe my ears? Who was this man I thought I knew so well? "Really?" I asked.
The next few weeks flew by quickly. We visited with the House family, played with their 3 adorable DS boys, learned more about the adoption process through Lindy, her husband Guy, the social worker, the adoption agency, online research, etc! We spoke with our children, our extended family, rallied support, prayed and talked for hours about the committment we were getting into. We began filing our paperwork for the Homestudy Monday, January 7th 2013. We expect to have all of our paperwork completed by the end of next week and once the Adoption Agency has clearance on our background checks we will schedule our Home Study and move to the next step in bringing Gods chosen child Home!