Our first home study interview was a telephone interview, and it went great! Today I wanted to blog about our second home study visit- which took place at our home. Something really cool happened a couple hours before it started the other day, so I wanted to make sure that I saved the memory here so that we’d never forget exactly how it happened!
First, a little backstory…
Kevin went to high school with a couple of kids named Billy and Suzanne, and long story short- Billy and Suzanne wound up getting married. Now, 20 years later, we’ve all become friends thanks to our church. Billy is a photographer, and he and Suzanne adopted a little girl through Lifeline eight years ago- so we have lots of things in common, and it’s been really fun getting to know them.
Fast forward to two hours before our first home study visit this past Friday. Kevin and I decided to eat lunch at Moe’s. We ordered our usuals, then slid into a booth underneath the only ceiling fan that wasn’t on. (brrr) I had just opened my mouth waaaay too wide, to accommodate waaaay too much burrito, when I heard Billy say, “Hey!“, and looked up to see him and Suzanne just a few feet from our table. I dropped my burrito with a quickness, and used one hand to wave and the other to cover my huge *Art Vandalay-chompin’ cheeks. We invited them to sit down and eat (smaller bites) with us, and we had the BEST time listening and learning all kinds of things about their home study and their adoption process. But ya wanna know the Craziest part? Billy and Suzanne hadn’t planned to eat lunch together there that day. Billy’s car broke down somewhere close by, so he called Suzanne to come pick him up and they just decided to get lunch while they were out. And ya wanna know the even Crazier part? The last time Billy’s car broke down was on a Friday, eight years ago, while he was driving to a Lifeline meeting at the beginning of their adoption process. How Wild (with a capital W) is that!?
(Me, Kevin, Suzanne and Billy at Moe’s this past Friday)
Before I wrote this post, I wanted to make sure I remembered Billy’s experience exactly right, so I direct messaged him on Twitter to make sure I had my facts straight. Here are his responses:
I didn’t know about that last bit until it popped up on my Twitter screen. So funny!
(*The Art Vandalay is a vegetarian burrito served in your choice of flour or whole grain tortilla with seasoned rice, beans, shredded cheese, lettuce, all-natural sour cream and handmade guacamole. I also add diced cucumbers and black olives to mine!)
As for our home study- our (sweet) social worker, Beth (from Lifeline), pulled up to our house just after 3 o’clock that afternoon and after a quick tour of the house, we spent the next three hours sitting in our living room talking about all kinds of relationship-y things. We answered questions like, “how do you know Layla/Kevin loves you” and “what would you say your greatest strengths/weaknesses are personally/as a couple” and “how has your relationship changed over the years“, etc.
We laughed and cried, and Grew closer with each question. It was very therapeutic and fun. At one point, I (jokingly) asked Beth if someone was really going to read every word of our entire home study from start to finish. Of course she said, “yes”, and in that moment, I couldn’t help thinking about how, one day (hopefully this Fall), somebody (somewhere) is going to use the information in it to match us with our child. #goosebumps!
I tweeted this (poorly-lit/super blurry) cell phone pic I snapped immediately after our visit with Beth on Friday night:
Like the Billy & Suzanne experience, I never wanted to forget that moment (thank you, trusty iPhone!) and even though the photos are fuzzy, I’m so glad I snapped ’em!
Next up, we’ve got some homework to do. Autobiography writing to be exact. Then after that, we’ll schedule home study visits #2 (out of 5)- where Kevin and I will be interviewed individually. We’re learning very quickly that there are a lot of steps in this process- but they’ll all lead to our Sweet P, and it’s extremely comforting to know that so many folks are going to such great lengths to make sure our child is safe!
*Updated to add– We ran in to Billy and Suzanne AGAIN after church this past Sunday! We were in the next town over, and at a totally different restaurant, so I had to snap another iPhone pic so that I could add it to this post!
This is beautiful and providential!
I love that you say you’re enjoying the journey. We adopted twice, and now, looking back 19 years ago, I see that time goes by in an instant. You’re right to enjoy each step of the process. Just savor it because it will end up with your sweet P and his/her whole life before you! Bless your hearts xoxo
Wow, what an amazing God moment! For what it’s worth, we’ve adopted 3 kids and we had similar God moments when we met each of their birthparents. Maybe not as dramatic but small similarities or odd things in common. I pray you continue to have these nudges big and small!
You will be so glad you’re writing all of this down! I WISH I blogged back when we got started!!
My mom would call that one of God’s little surprises…
I was adopted and when I was a few weeks from turning 18 my mom passed away. I have the autobiographies and updates on me that she sent the agency. It is a precious thing to have to have what my mama and daddy wrote about their lives growing up. Then, to have the updates on how I was growing and the things I was doing in the updates. You could hear the overflow of love and adoration my mama had for me and how excited she was with every little thing I did. I encourage you to journal now as you go through the process. Journal once you recieve your special gift God has for you. I always knew I was adopted, just as I knew I had blonde hair, and green eyes. My mom presented it in a way that my birth mother must have loved me so very much to know she couldn’t care for me and wanted me to have a great life so she gave that gift to me, And how she wanted a little girl so very much to love and was so glad she had the opportunity to raise me, her special gift from God. I am excited for you and Kevin and know one day your family will be complete.
Layla I am so excited for you and Kevin, I don’t have the pleasure of knowing you in person but your sweetness and warmth comes through and I know that one day (soon?) a child will be very lucky to have you two for his/her parents.
Reminds me of our adoption process 30 years ago…and again three years later. Wishing you all the happiness we’ve known!
God is mindfully doing his thing.
I love this! Very excited for you! On a side note, I love how y’all are all 4 color coordinated on your second random meet up!
LOL- I noticed that too, Danielle! 😀
Total God thing!!! LOVE IT!!!!
walking with the Lord no coincidences only Divine Appointments. Thank you for including all of us in your journey.
Yaweh is Great!!! Got a lump in my throat also!! My very first experience upon praying to God to reveal himself to me, and show me the way, was a dream I had that night where myself and my husband were swimming in a pool, and he was being called over by two ladies at the poolside, and I was trying to catch up with them all, and when I did, the ladies introduced themselves as Katherine and Lorraine!! (Side note: my husband was already a Christian) The next morning I casually told my husband about the vivid dream, but not about the prayer the night before. We both stood gaping at each other at the door that day, when two Christian ladies turned up on our doorstep and introduced themselves as ‘Katherine & Lorraine’ from the local Christian Church!!!!!! I later told my husband about the prayer!! ‘AWE-some’!!!
Layla, thank you so much for sharing your heart and your adoption process. We too are in the process of adoption and are so excited to see how the Lord is going to use it. I haven’t blogged about it yet but would love to in the near future. We finished our home study last summer and are waiting on a match. We know and trust God’s timing is perfect so we are leaning on Him. Praying for you guys and know that these precious children have been God’s plan for our lives since the beginning of time. Love to you all and God bless. Oh and I love the house!! 🙂
Been following your journey over a year now. Things are falling into place. Will keep you and Kevin in my prayers……sweet p too. Can’t wait to see your new addition to your family.
You two are soooo cute! God really does have it all planned out for us doesn’t he? A little one will be very lucky to have you for parents. 🙂
Btw, I started watching Photography 101 and it is so awesome! My new Canon t3 is on it’s way to me as we speak and I’m so excited to start putting my new knowledge to use!
My husband and I have been married for 26 years; out of all the wedding cards we were given, my favorite said “May you always have the kind of love depicted in fuzzy pictures.” Looks like you and Kevin have that one figured out!! 🙂 –Fran
So happy for you and Kevin and I know the Lord is bringing you the perfect Sweet P for your family. Nothing is coincidence when God is in it and He IS in EVERYTHING!! Wishing you a beautiful day, Blessings, Linda
Beautiful post! I especially loved the last photo.
God’s timing is always perfect! He always knows the plan and its our job to listen, learn and go along for the ride while we do our part!!! So excited for you and your journey and may you have peace every step of the way!
xoxo
Heather
I love those God moments when He brings people and special situations together. Those God moments engrave in our spirits how much He cares for us and what we’re going through.
I would say you’ve not experienced the last of these with your friends..
I have so enjoyed your blog over the past few years. I have prayed for you and Kevin from afar and have been so moved to see what God has been doing in your life. I smiled with tears in my eyes as you showed your picture of your best transformation of the year. And loved reading about your divine appointment with the Popes. God is so good and I know He is orchestrating a beautiful symphony in your home and future. A little one is being prepared just for you and Kevin.
Blessings and prayers for 2013 and the journey He has for you!
This will all be very interesting for those who have adopted and plan to, but will your blog turn into an adoption blog? I hope not! I’ve been a loyal fan for years and would miss the home decor part. Have you considered a separate blog for the adoption part and the story of this journey?
Hi LT!
We haven’t really thought about that because we want to keep our e-journal all together in one place. (Not only for our senior-selves, but for our future child(ren), too!) 🙂 Like the messages in our welcome widget and blog header say- “Our blog is our playground, and we’re enthusiastically passionate about sharing stories, making music, and interior design. We created it as a place to document our days, and we enjoy adding pages to it whenever we feel inspired to”. We’ve always enjoyed blogging about whatever it is that tickles our FUNcy on any given day, and we look forward to sharing lots more stories, and music & design posts in the years to come! 😀 #ICan’tStopSayingFuncyNow Ha!
that is so cool! when i was going through my adoption paperwork and waiting stages, stuff like that happened all the time. total ‘GOD winks” i called it. i ran into adoptive single moms who i didn’t know who were right here in my community. it was great reassurance!! keep documenting it all so you’ll never forget how God smiled down on this process for you guys!
You all are going to be AWESOME parents. God bless and God speed. I love how our God surprises us. He orchestrated the lunches. So fun! So like HIM!
I remember all the steps to our wonderful adoption years ago. We were going to Ukraine – what a great experience. We had thought we were going to come home with a little girl 0 @ 3 years old but Ukraine is a country where you have no idea until you are matched up once you show up at the country! Turns out that we came home with a healthy, 15 month old boy (unheard of by many – healthy and so young!) So God truly does
decide – no matter what our human plans are. We came back to the States and repainted the pink room blue the first week home and I slowly gave the hand knitted sweaters to friends when they had baby girls. It all falls into place with the right child, the right country and (most importantly) the right timing! You are so blessed to be having the opportunity to experience this process!
Wow I just read your post and the picture you posted is just so sweet….you guys are going to be the best parents. 🙂
This is so wonderful to read. I love how, no matter what is going on where & when, we can ALWAYS count on God to confirm we’re moving in the right direction and to close doors when moving against His will. It sure reads like you two are moving in His will. So thrilled for both of you and honored your choose to share your story publicly. Not an easy thing to do. Here’s looking forward to the day Sweet P is in your arms and THAT’S the fuzzy pic you snap with your iPhone.
LOVE
Layla and Kevin, I first read your blog when my wife, Julie, suggested we vacation in Tybee Island after reading about it on your website. We spent a week there and loved every minute of it so thanks! Our son was a year and a half then. We adopted him after a long season of prayerfully waiting for God to write the story of our family. We are currently pursuing our second adoption through Bethany Christian Services. Beth is a good friend of ours. We went to church together when she lived in Mobile and she was a part of the small group at our house! Small world. Guess I just wanted to say we will be praying for you on this journey. If we can ever help in any way let me know. Beth has our info. Thanks for sharing your stories and your life. Chris
I’ve been reading your blog for years-and I just know that one of these days I’m going to open up your page-and there you’ll be with your child! I can’t wait to see those happy photos.
Don’t you just love the synchronicity of life? Good luck, I hope your Sweet P shows up soon.
An amazing story. God works in amazing ways.
Ruth
L…Thanks for this post. It just has God’s blessing all over it. There is one lucky little child fixing to be blessed beyond belief. What struck me in reading this was how much work one has to do to adopt a child when so many have biological children that are unwanted and there is no work involved beforehand. What a wonderful world this would be if all the unwanted children could end up in the arms of someone like you. xoxo, Julia
Layla,
You are a true inspiration !
I appreciate your gift of how to share your experience(s) in such a way that is an absolute gift to others.
I personally have never gone through the adoption process other than for a puppy but your determination and spirit will definately see you through.I’m sure that you and Kevin will make exceptional Parents’.
All the best to you both and God bless…
(He certainly does work in mysterious ways.)
.Penny
This story brought tears to my eyes. I will keep following your story and pray for you both and your soon to be baby to meet each other very soon.
So cool how there are no coincidences.. God is moving.. so neat!
I am so excited for you two! I went on this wild ride with a dear friend and to say that our lives have been blessed by their Sweet P “Jonathan” is an understatement! The handiwork of God’s plan will be so evident at every step and you will look back one day and be in awe!! Enjoy the ride!!
xoxo
Thank you, Suezi! We’re really looking forward to meeting our baby P and can’t wait to e-ntroduce you to her! 😀
Dear Palmers,
I have the most amazing adoption story I wanted to share with you, If you haven’t seen it already. Here is one family making a difference by taking in all these kids. The power of love and I hope you find it inspiring. oxox
http://ilikegiving.com/story/i-like-adoption
YOU’RE ADOPTING!!! I just found your blog tonight and was thrilled to find out your adopting too… We’ve been in process with South Korea since June 2011 and we’re still waiting for our match. I stumbled across your blog b/c I was searching DIY tutorials, as I’m trying to decorate our house on a budget. The adoption is currently consuming that area! :/ Anyway, so thrilled to have found another AP! Congrats!!! xoxo, Brooke
I love your site !! What a great story! God works in mysterious ways. You two are blessed with so much love hope the adoption goes thru relatively fast,God Bless.Jenn
Hi! I recently found your beautiful blog as I would also love to start my own (but really don’t know where to start). Anyway, I smile whenever I read your adoption posts. I so wish that I blogged, journaled about my own adoption story 11 yrs ago when I adopted my beautiful daughter from China. It took me almost 2 yrs. but was so worth it. She is a beautiful, very active 12 yr old 6th grader now. I remember my finger printing and home studies, etc. Hang in there -it is so worth it. Best of luck!!! I just signed up for your e-mail. Yay!