Welcome Silas Caleb!

It was a Monday evening, April 3, when we got the call. I had been working furiously in the garden, trying to get the last of the tomato starts in. I was covered in dirt and sweat, hadn't made a thing for dinner. I was determined to finish the spring garden gettin' in. I conquered and won.

Robbie pulled into the driveway and went in to change and come out and help me finish staking all the tomato plants (because that's the kind of husband he is) while Avonlea volunteered to make quesadillas for dinner. We got everything in just in time for dark to set in. I decided to take Avonlea out for a drive for some girly time.

We were only a few minutes into driving when I got a phone call from our adoption coordinator. She said, "I may have a placement for you!" My jaw dropped and I put her on speaker phone so Avonlea could hear.

We talked details about birth mom and baby (she had already left the hospital days ago). Before we hung up, she said we would have 12 hours to get there before he was discharged from the hospital and either put into foster care or with another adoption agency. It was a night of prayer! So many questions zoomed through our minds. The baby was born breech and his hips were of concern. We also didn't know the full health record of mom.

We prayed all night both together and alone. I woke up the next morning, with Rob off to work, and me standing in my closet wondering if I should put on grubby farm clothes or a nice outfit to go pick up my SON. The tension was high. I didn't know what to DO that day. What was this day going to look like? Should I pack the diaper bag and car seat into the van? Do I get the kids' "Big Brother"/"Big Sister" shirts out of the closet (bought a year before..."Gosh, I hope they fit!")? I got on my knees and prayed, HARD. I showed the kids his picture (sent via text the night before) and they all "oohed" and "ahhed" over him. We knelt down on the couches to pray together. It was a precious moment...all 6 of us kneeling, asking God if He wanted us to have this precious baby.

I had my phone glued to me that morning, receiving more calls with details. I called Robbie and told him that I wanted to get to that hospital and get our son. He agreed that this was God's plan.

I ran to the nursery closet and grabbed all 5 big brother/sister t-shirts, flung them at the kids and said to get dressed. I went into the closet to change OUT of my grubby farm clothes and into some jeans and a blouse to zoom to the hospital in. Everyone was giddy with delight, scrambling, loading up the carseat and bags into the van.


We stopped at Tractor Supply for some rabbit food, because when your animals are out of feed, you stop at Tractor Supply...of coarse. (ah-hem) Also got him a little John Deere onesie and socks. Because I COULD. {grin}

We arrived at the hospital in about a little over an hour. (I was thankful we weren't driving up or down the entire state, but I would have anyway just the same!) It was pouring down rain and there were reports on the radio for HAIL. It was hard to drive and see, but we were on our way to get our sweet baby, so we drove safely and swiftly. We played praise music the whole, way there. I did a number on our steering wheel.

Meanwhile, this poor boy didn't have a NAME. I remember grabbing the baby name book off the shelf before leaving, tossing it into my bag, knowing we would need it. I gave it to Avonlea as we drove and told her to turn to the boy section. We needed a "C" middle name because all our children have "C" middle names and we needed a good, strong first name. We ran through so many names in the van, meanwhile, Robbie was driving from his work and meeting us at the hospital.

When we finally arrived in the hospital parking lot and met up with Robbie, he mentioned Silas. We had thought of Caleb in the van. A dear friend also suggested Silas, mentioning that it means "asked for". He certainly was that...ASKED FOR. It derives from the Aramaic. Silas was also one who accompanied Paul on his second missionary journey.

Caleb was one of those sent by Moses to scout out the land in the 2nd year after the Exodus. Caleb and Joshua were the only two people over the age of 20 who got to enter the Promised land. It is Hebrew meaning "faithful". God is always faithful to keep His promises when we reveals them to us.

Silas Caleb is was. "Asked for" and "faithful".

For years, I dreamed of what this day would look like. The range of emotions, where he would come from, if we would get to meet the birth mother/father...I could go on.

We raced into the hospital to meet up with our adoption coordinator (who is amazing, I might add!). Went through metal detectors, had bags checked and checked us and the kids in at the front desk.
Then it was off to take a bathroom break because 5 children (and mom) had to go after the car trip.

As we headed up the elevators, I knew I was going to get emotional. So many different emotions I might add. I was full of joy, but at the same time, grieving for this birth mother. It was getting real and I got quiet.

The 5 older kids had to wait patiently in the waiting room as Rob and I went through the glass doors to meet our baby boy. He was so small and precious. The first time I saw him, my eyes locked onto his and I lost it. I was trying to video record our first meeting him, but had to stop. It was emotional. He was getting hungry and needed a bottle. Rob and I both took turns feeding him. Robbie even got a smile.

The paperwork began shortly afterwards (they were wanting to get him discharged from the hospital soon). Lots of signatures and information that I knew I was going to forget because my mind was on cloud 9 at that point. We went back and forth checking on the older kids in the waiting room. They were doing so well and staying quiet.

I was able to bring the kids out from waiting and into the hallway where they could look through the glass and see their new brother. He had already been placed into his car seat and was ready to go.

We finished paperwork, took a few pictures and down the elevator we went. Robbie went to get the van in the parking garage so the rest of us waited with our adoption coordinators in the lobby.

I couldn't wait to get this little man home! We stopped and grabbed some dinner. Avonlea and I ran into Target for some baby formula and an Easter outfit (oh yeah!).

We arrived safely home and each child demanded their time with Silas to hold and love on him. The sleepless nights began.

It has been blissful. If I'm just bein' real, I was wondering how the bonding process was going to go. Would it be different?

Nope. It's not.

If anyone tried to lay a hand on this son of mine, I would drop kick them. Yep. The "Mother hen syndrome" is at its finest and I have to fight my girls so I can hog him all to myself.

Farm chores have taken a back burner and we're just doing the bare minimum, to which the older kids have done a fabulous job! Avonlea is on goat milking duty (we are waiting on one more goat to freshen any day now), the kids feed and water everyone and give the lambs (whom I need to wean...hello) their bottles. The kids have been collecting ducklings as they hatch, placing them into a brooding box.

The only difference with this baby is that I'm not healing from anything. No hormones! Just a lot of paperwork, updating background checks and fingerprint forms, and I'm not nursing. Still praying about a milk donor. The Lord will provide.

There are so many more details that I could add, but won't. Some details on how the Lord spoke to us that evening and the next morning are private and so special. He spoke to us through Scripture and other strong believers. He spoke through His Holy Spirit. We're gonna keep them secret and hidden in just our family.

We want to thank so many of you who have reached out to us through your prayers, your giving of diapers, formula and other baby goodies. Your encouragement has meant the world to us. We can't thank you enough for thinking of us and this sweet baby. We thank you for your prayers for his birth mother to whom we will be sending letters and pictures, sharing the Gospel of Jesus with.

I had to get this story written before I forgot it! Whew!

May the Lord richly bless you all as we enjoy this Passover and Easter season. We will keep you updated on this little fella. You can count on that!