If you follow the Mrs. Pennington for Your Thoughts blog, you’ve likely noticed that I’ve been missing for a bit. Why, you ask? Well, we’ve been busy people! The end of the school year was filled with festivities, baseball season took over our lives began, and the biggest reason of all—we’ve been making a very important decision…
The Decision to Try and Grow Our Family Through Adoption!
I told you it was an important decision! Mr. Pennington and I, along with the little Penns, have been carefully considering adoption for months now. If you’ve been around long, you are likely familiar with my endometriosis story. Due to endometriosis resulting in a hysterectomy, we are not able to grow our family biologically. Through relatives on both sides of the family, we both have seen the love that adoption can bring to children, biological parents, adoptive parents, and extended family. We are excited to embark on this adventure of loving another little one!
The Adoption Process
There are a few ways to go about adoption, and none of them are quick or especially easy. There is the option of going through a private agency in hopes of a newborn. This typically involves quite the expense. There is also legal adoption, where a birth mom or family is wanting to place the baby/child into an adoptive home and simply chooses a family with or without the help of an agency. Or, there is adoption through your county or state. This type of adoption involves children whose parents have had rights terminated and are now in need of a loving home (usually via foster care initially). There is absolutely no one way that is right or wrong or better or worse. It all just depends on what’s best for each family and child!
For us, we have decided that we would like to begin the trainings to foster to adopt a child (or two!) from ages birth through five. We have started the ball rolling on this process, but in the mean time we wanted to share a little bit about ourselves.
It’s such a small world, and you just never know if this post may cross the path of a gracious expectant mother looking to place her baby in a loving adoptive home!
Meet Our Crew!
We are a blended family of 4 who are all pretty active! As a family, we love being outside exploring, playing sports, and gardening We are huge fans of vacation, and travel whenever we get the chance. We take an annual trip to Disney World, which is something we all enjoy immensely! Time on the lake near our family’s cottage is an all-time favorite for all four of us! We also love attending fairs, shows, and festivals any chance we get! We have a pretty close extended family as well (our boys have 8 GRANDMAS!) who we enjoy spending free time with!
Like any family, we all have our own unique stories to tell.
Jessica (Mom)
About: That’s me! I’m an outgoing people person. In addition to being mama and wife, I’m a third grade teacher who is passionate about getting books into the hands of kids! Seeing kiddos reading and writing makes my heart happy.
Hobbies: I love to write, draw, and read any time I have the chance. I enjoy working outdoors in my flower beds and landscaping. I spend a great deal of time with my mom, usually shopping (another favorite hobby!)
Favorite Place: My favorite place on earth would probably be in our family’s boat on the lake or around a campfire making s’mores (and memories). Although attending my boys’ baseball games and taekwondo events comes in a close second to the lake.
Why Adopt? While both sides of our family have seen the loving benefits of adoption, I have a student near and dear to me who has inspired me to adopt. During her time with me as her teacher, she transitioned from foster care to a relative to her biological parent. It was a rough time, and I was the only constant. This little girl opened my eyes to how big the need is for loving adoptive and foster parents. While I wasn’t able to foster her myself at the time, I’m so happy to have been someone who loved her unconditionally. We formed a bond that I know will last a lifetime. I can’t wait to give all that and more to another child for the rest of his or her life! I love being a mama, and can’t wait to add another family member to our home and hearts.
Josh (Dad)
About: Josh is a United States Marine Corps veteran. He currently works in management for a well-established, family-oriented company. He’s currently pursuing his degree in business administration to further his career opportunities within his current company.
Hobbies: Josh loves spending time attending sporting events of all kinds, as well as playing baseball, basketball, and soccer with our boys! He is a huge fan of all Cleveland sports teams. Josh also enjoys spending time outdoors working on different projects.
Favorite Places: Josh’s favorite place would be around any campfire, or at any ballpark whether it be my kids’ games or college/pro sports event with our family. Josh also loves spending time with our nieces and nephews when possible!
Why Adopt? Josh loves kids, and he loves helping others! By growing our family through adoption, he knows that we will be able to help a child and biological family, as well as fill our own hearts with love for another child!
Max (10)
About: Max is very kind, laid back and big hearted. He can be quiet, but has a great sense of humor. Max is going into fifth grade. He loves science and art! You can usually find Max investigating something, drawing, or building with Legos.
Hobbies: Max is a camo belt in taekwondo! He is a talented martial artist who intends to work hard and earn his black belt. Max also golfs and enjoys watching and playing all sports. He loves to spend time outside camping and going on hiking adventures.
Favorite Places: Max’s favorite place is anywhere he can find a trail to explore. He’s a big fan of Tennessee.
Why Adopt? Max is a big brother already and loves (usually) hanging out with his little brother! He has always wanted another sibling. Max adores younger kids and is fantastic with them!
Charlie (8)
About: Charlie is full of energy and laughs! He is going into third grade. Charlie loves to read, and has a great time creating with art supplies. Charlie can usually be found outdoors playing basketball or digging in the dirt with his toy trucks.
Hobbies: Charlie is a camo belt in taekwondo, plays third base in baseball, golfs, and intends to play flag football! Sports keep him pretty busy, but he also enjoys being outdoors exploring or building forts.
Favorite Places: Charlie’s favorite place is HOME! He is perfectly content to not be on the go often. When traveling, Charlie loves Florida and Disney World or going to the lake.
Why Adopt: Charlie is the baby of the family, and he’s beyond excited to be promoted to middle child. He’s always wanted a younger sibling who he can play with and teach new things to.
Share Our Adoption Adventure!
We’d love it if you’d share this post! It’s a small world, and you just never know what connections could be made to help us bring home our newest family member!
XoXo
Jessica
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Aww! I am incredibly happy for y’all to begin this journey! I’ll be praying for your situation and am excited to follow along with your news on the adventure!
Thanks Shelly! ❤️
So happy to hear this! I hope your journey is exactly as it should be – whtvr that looks like – b/c I know you will be a dream home for any child/ren! And this family pic says it all…..LOL! <3 it! And YOU!
Thank you, Lor! ❤️❤️❤️ Love your guts!
That is so awesome! I want to adopt in the future and go through foster care too. Have you read the book “Girl Wash Your Face” by Rachael Hollis? I am listening to it on Audible and she shares their long adoption process to get their daughter and what to expect while going through foster care.
Good luck! Can’t wait to follow through the process.
I haven’t read that!! I’ll have to download it today! Thank you for sharing!!
Congratulations! We have fostered, fostered and adopted and just adopted. It has always been a lengthy process for us. Took 3 years from beginning the paperwork to finalization of our last one due to international paperwork issues. They all come with their own issues though. One foster to adopt placement was disrupted. Just be in prayer that God’s hand guides :). Will really enjoy following your journey.
I love this! My husband is recovering from his battle with leukemia which means we won’t be able to have biological children. I’ve always had a heart for adoption + now I know why! It’s encouraging to see so many other young families stepping up + opening their homes for these sweet children that need forever families. Big prayers for you + your family!
Wow! Prayers for your family as well! I’m so glad your husband is beginning the recovery process!