Sometimes a picture tells a story of it's own.

October baby

I was looking back yesterday at the last date I posted....The few days before Oct. 3 I was posting a lot. I was filled with things God wanted me to say.... Have you wondered where I've been? At 3 am on October 3 I got a phone call that Hudson’s first mommy was in labor. She was headed to the hospital and wanted us to come THEN. I was immediately up and running around like crazy. I had things packed for Hudson but not for Andrew and me.... It crossed my mind several times that she was a little early (4 weeks), but I didn't give it much thought.

We arrived at the hospital with plenty of time to spare and spent the day with Hudson's first mommy as she prepared to give birth. We shared some precious times that I will never forget, and we were there with her when she brought our Hudson into the world at 4:04 pm. It was a miraculous experience that I will always treasure. Hudson was born at 36 weeks and had immediate breathing issues. He was in the NICU for 9 days until we got to leave with him and take him to our hotel....During those days God did so much for all of us and performed so many miracles for Hudson. There are so many things I can't wait to share.... I know that God wants me to tell the story of Hudson. I was so blessed to be able to share his story with SO many people around that hospital, and I am still sharing his story whenever I get a chance. I will tell the entire story over time, and I still have so much to tell about the days that led up to Hudson's birth. There's SO much to tell.... Be patient with me. I will tell it all.

Today I just want you to know that whoever you are and wherever you are that God loves you. He loves you whether you love Him back or not. He exists, and His Existence has nothing to do with whether or not you believe in Him. He is God, and He has plans for YOUR life. There's nothing special about me people... He can do the same amazing things in your life if you just let Him. I pray that through Hudson's story some of you will have a new encounter with our Father and see Him in a new way. If you have any questions feel free to leave me a question in the comment section, or email me. If there are parts of Hudson's story that you want to know more about I will be happy to share that too.

Thank you for still being here and caring about Hudson and my family. I feel honored to be able to share his story with you.

Minutes after Hudson was born…

I only got to hold him for a minute before they took him away. Look how bad his coloring was…..

This is around midnight the day Hudson was born. We had to wait hours to see him. When we finally got to I kept myself together in there but sobbed all the way back down the hall… my poor sweet baby.

And Hudson a couple of days ago. God is SO good.

Love you all,

Loulou

And He said, "I have prepared their hearts".

Adoption. Oh adoption. The joys. The miracles. The faith. The presence of God. THE MONEY. Oh the money. I always comes down to the money. I have learned many things from God over all these adoptions, and I can tell you with 100% that He.always.sends.the.money. It has come different ways with each adoption, but it always comes from God. I could go on and on about the money we lost in the scam and the failed adoptions, but that's not what this was about. Each time something happened I would always say, "I don't care about the money. God will send more." And I meant it.

Fast forward to today and Hudson's adoption. In our grief and confusion we had agreed that maybe God didn't want us to adopt... We were trying to move forward in our lives. We started saving for the down payment of a new home, and I'm thankful that we did. Those few thousand dollars would become what we had to pay for the adoption. It's kinda funny, because we had the exact amount that it usually costs with our attorney in a NORMAL adoption. Guys, have you ever known anything NORMAL to happen to ME?  Nope. Not the way I roll. Hudson's adoption is out of state, and that almost doubles the cost, because we had to hire attorneys and social workers in Louisiana as well as Alabama. We also have to be prepared to stay 5-10 business days in Louisiana after Hudson is released from the hospital. In my "old life" and in my old patterns I would be a nervous wreck about right now... I mean come on! Now Hudson is coming earlier than we thought, and we don't have this money. Go ahead. Ask me if I'm worried or nervous. My answer is a loud and resounding "NO!" Why? Because I know that God's got this.

I'm sure you know that there's a conversation with God somewhere waiting to be told, and here it is. Andrew and I have been praying non stop about financial provision since we were blessed with Alex and Hudson. We have trusted that God will send it, although we have NO idea where it will come from.... That actually excites me. Here we are...awaiting the birth of our promised son, and we have NO idea where the money will come to pay for it. :) No idea. That means we get to sit back and watch our Father go to work. We are going to get to have a front row seat in the "God will send everything we need for Hudson" show. Don't you want to watch too? Who doesn't want to see a miracle? Right? I don't know about you, but I'm ALWAYS up for a miracle. I love miracles.... and God LOVES to bless His children with miracles... I feel a BIG miracle coming.

Now. This is where it's going to get real. I have been praying about what to do. Do we wait? Do we have fundraisers? Do we do some raffles? Sunday morning when I woke up and told Jesus good morning He said, "I have prepared the hearts of the people who are going to send provision. Do it now." Well. Nothing like clear direction from Jesus. I'll take it over advice and my own whimpy ideas any day of the week.

God made it clear to me that this isn't about Andrew, me, or even Hudson. It's about you. In the whole scheme of things money is nothing to God. It's all His anyway. He could choose to send provision any way He wants, but He has chosen you. He made it very clear to me that He is giving His children the opportunity to take part in the miracle of Hudson. He wants you to own a part of the miracle that IS Hudson. This may sound weird to you all, but I say what God tells me to say. Sometimes it's awkward for me, because I'm not God. I'm just Loulou. I have learned to trust Him and His Word and not my own. SO... God says, He is blessing YOU by ALLOWING you to bless Hudson. In other words, you're not doing Him a favor by chipping in a few bucks. Now from ME I'm overwhelmed and honored that you would give a dollar. God evidently has plans for some of you. That's between you and Him.

I did pray specifically that only those who's hearts God had prepared would give. I don't want one single person giving out of a sense of obligation....I ONLY want provision that God is directing His children to give. And guess what? Even if you get your drawers all in a wad over this, get mad at me, and don't give anything I STILL LOVE YOU AND SO DOES GOD. You may NOT be meant to bless Hudson. I don't know... I don't know ANY of this, but I do know this is how God wants it. And who am I to question Him? I also know that this adoption will be funded the way God wants it funded....

I guess now it's time to tell you how you can help. God has made it clear to me that He doesn't want me to specify an amount, that He will send us what He wants us to have. It's not about a number. It's about FAITH, TRUST, and BELIEVING Him.  Not believing IN Him. Believing HIM. Believe what He says He can do and will do. So that's what I'm doing. For now I'm going to set up a neat little button on my sidebar where you can donate if God leads you to do so. If He leads us to go ahead with a raffle or two, then we'll do that....but this is the way He wants it for now. Andrew and I are overwhelmed and thankful that you even care to read the story of Hudson. We are so blessed if any of you decide to give any amount. It's not about an amount of money. It's about watching God work. And that's my favorite thing to do.

I love each and every one of you who has given your time and love through prayer through this entire process. I don't think I would have made it and been the person I am in Christ right now if you all hadn't gone before Him FOR me. For that I am eternally grateful. If you decide that all you are supposed to do is pray, then we accept that as gladly as we do any amount of money. Your prayers mean WAY more to us than a donation. Whatever you do I pray that God will bless you through it. I know He will. He ALWAYS blesses His children.

I love you all,
Loulou

Babies tend to be unpredictable people.

Yesterday Andrew and I drove to Louisiana to go with Alex to her drs appointment. She has been feeling a lot of pressure and pain and is generally feeling like she's about to "pop". Little back history: Alex has never been entirely sure just how pregnant she is. Due to circumstances she didn't have any medical care until she was 24 weeks pregnant. When they did an ultrasound the due date given was Oct. 29. That really never made much sense to her when she was looking at dates. Fast forward to weeks 30 and 33 of the pregnancy. She had another regular ultrasound AND a 4-d ultrasound, where they told us he weighed 4 lbs. Their prediction based on his size was Oct. 19. The one at 30 weeks was Oct. 20.... SO the drs are WRONG. LOL. When we went yesterday she had already dilated to 1cm. Our boy is "down and in position". She also dropped dramatically last weekend. This isn't her first baby, and she recognizes the changes that are happening to her body and to Hudson.

So, we are on GO. I am sterilizing bottles and getting everything packed up today. We are on the schedule to be induced Oct. 23 if she hasn't had him by then. No body thinks that's very likely. I AM HAVING A BABY. SOON. I know that most of you have traveled this entire journey with us, and so you know the significance of those words. You know these words are part of God's promise made to me in my bathtub quite a while ago. You know those words are shining in my heart and through my mouth.

Oh Lord  you are so good to me. Who am I that you would bless me SO? Who am I? I am dust. But I am Your dust. Thank you Father. Thank you for Hudson. Thank you for Andrew, Logan, Hayden, Anne Pearce, and Essie. Thank you for my friends and family. Thank you for these people reading this story, and thank You for letting me tell it. I am nothing. You are everything.

What are you waiting for friends? Let go, and let God make a miracle in your life!

I love you all,
Loulou

Ying and Yang; Hudson’s story Part 2

Have you ever noticed that there are times when you can’t get one thing done in an hour, and there are also times when an hour seems like a year with 100 million things accomplished? I want to talk about an hour. The hour I want to talk about will probably be more than one post. I’m going to write about it, until I feel like it’s time to stop. A lot happened in this hour.

Remember in the earlier post when I told you that the day we got “the call” I had left my phone in my bedroom? One million things happened from the time I picked my phone up until we actually walked out the door to meet Alex. Have you ever been blind sighted by something?? You know those times that something happens, and you just don’t know where to put it? You hear words. You know what the words mean, but you don’t understand that those words are for you. You are overwhelmed in less than a second by words that TOTALLY change and redirect your life. We have a choice in that moment. We can trust selfish predictable scared selves, or we can reach out and take that perfectly scarred Hand of Jesus and let Him pull us to a new place in Him. I’d like to tell you that in that instant I immediately went for Jesus, but I didn’t. I retreated to that safe place inside of me that I had created. There was a safe place inside me that had walls built around it…the walls were there as protection, and I know that God put some of those walls in place to protect my heart….not because He didn’t think I could handle anything else, but because He loves me so much He didn’t want to see me hurt anymore. Once those walls were there they were mine… I could choose to keep them in place, OR I could choose to let God throw a few sticks of Jesus dynamite and blow that wall to smithereens…  When things are happening like this we don’t see the choice this simply….all of the pieces of overwhelming stimulus are coming at us like arrows… one after the other after the other after the other. Each arrow shows us a completely different scenario based on fear, uncertainty, confusion, rage, selfishness, pride, vanity, SELF. God doesn’t shoot arrows at His children, but we know who does. So….. What does a girl do when she’s being attacked by 10,000 fiery arrows, and her husband is in the other room even more freaked out than she is??? She calls her best friend.

Oh my sweet Natalie. I will tell you that tears started flowing at the first word of that sentence. My Natalie. My gift straight from God. My sweet darling Natalie who has held my hand through every step of this way…. My Natalie who has had to hear more pain and grief in my voice than anyone should ever have to hear from someone they love. My Natalie has grieved with me. She has held me up. She has prayed for me when I couldn’t pray for myself. She has believed in me when I couldn’t believe in anything. Even though is she many many miles away physically her spirit is ALWAYS here with me. It’s funny, because when I call her sobbing I usually start with, “Don’t freak out but……” or “NAT!!!!!”….. OR “a lot of incoherent sobbing that sounds like

“Natttttidon’tknowwhattodosobsobsobsnotsnotsnotsnot”

to which she always replies without fail, “Oh hun”. Oh hun. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve heard that and just what comfort and certainty come from those 2 simple words. I’m sure you’re thinking that immediately Natalie screamed at me that there was no decision to make….that I was supposed to immediately go meet this girl, BUT Natalie doesn’t operate that way. She is the mish to my mash. She is the potato to my patatoe….the tomatooooo to my tomaaaato. LOL. She is ying. I am yang. Yet we fit perfectly together. Since we are ying and yang, Ying has felt the same pain Yang has felt, and she doesn’t want Yang to feel anymore unnecessary pain. You guys know the tip of the iceberg when it comes to situations and possible babies thrown our way. Natalie has been on the Titanic the whole trip. YET. After her initial shock she is ALWAYS able to take a step back and just listen…just process…. I know she is praying constantly as these things happen and seeking guidance. I know that she secretly wants to come throw a big cloak over me, so the pains of the world can’t hit me anymore. I know that she wants to come get me and take me to Target for a Diet Coke and just pretend like this isn’t happening to me, but she doesn’t.

In the over 5 years that Nat and I have been best friends she has helped me make every monumental decision and a million tiny day to day decisions. Sometimes she just listens until I finally get it myself, BUT most of the time she feels very strongly about situations one way or the other. This time she just didn’t know. We didn’t know. We both just sat on that phone and cried, while I am trying to find God’s path for me and my entire family in a few short minutes…. When we are like this we may not be on our knees, but I know our Father is with us. He hears us. He guides us…. He leads us.These conversations are honestly some of the most precious prayer times you can imagine, and I trust what comes from them without hesitation.

Oh my Natalie. My precious Natalie. I thought this post was going to be about the decision I made that day, but instead God led me to share with everyone the way He helps me make the biggest decisions of my life. When I am beside myself and can’t even just BE with Him for all the arrows flying He sends me a shield in the form of a precious blond haired Mormon from Utah. He sends me my soul sister. He sends me the one whose spirit I’ve known all my life without knowing it. He sends me my Natalie.

My dear Natalie, I love you more than words can say. You know what you mean to me, and I know what I mean to you. I do want to take this minute just to thank you, although thank you isn’t enough. Thank you for being you. Thank you for loving me even when I may not be the most lovable. Thank you for ALWAYS trusting the Spirit in me and NEVER once thinking I’m crazy (well besides my constant crazy)… Thank you for listening to our Father and holding my hand through all the roughest seas I can imagine. I’ve told you many times that I don’t know what I EVER did to deserve you, and I know that I don’t. I am so thankful He gave you to me anyway. This journey is beautiful now, but thank you for navigating all the mountains, valleys, rocks, and boulders that we’ve had to go through, over, and around to get to this spot….and what a sweet spot this is. The only day that will be better than bringing Hudson Roberts Lynn home will be the day that I hand him to you, Natalie Roberts.

“He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us” 2 Corinthians 1:4.  You ALWAYS give me comfort. ALWAYS, and I KNOW that comfort comes straight from God Himself.

I love you. Jonk.

I can't help myself.....

I had to share another picture with you guys. I can't stop looking at them... They amaze me over and over and over. God amazes me minute by minute. Let Him amaze you today in your life.

Sweet Baby Hudson Part 1

Here I am. Sitting in front of this computer with a big story in my heart, and I'm not quite sure how to get it out. I quit blogging for a while, because it was too hard to share my emotions with the world. After the adoption scam and failed adoption I couldn't grieve in public. I had to heal in private with my Savior. He was the only one who could heal me.....and heal me He did. I will always be thankful for all the things that I went through on this journey, but this story is not about the past and the hurts. It's about my present and future and all the joy that is coming my way. It will take me a while to tell this story. It may come in bits and pieces...it may come in between other things.. I don't know. All I do know is that God made it clear to me a while back that this isn't my story. It's HIS story, and He trusted me with it, because He knew I would share it and give Him the glory. I only hope I can tell it in the way He wants. I'm praying for guidance and for His words, because this isn't ABOUT me. It's isn't ABOUT a baby. It's not ABOUT my family. It IS about God.
After all the bad things happened I want to make it clear that I NEVER lost my faith or trust in God. I knew that He would make happen whatever He wanted to happen. I just lost focus of what that was. See. When God makes a promise to us He always keeps His word. He doesn't change His mind. It was hard for me to grasp. As soon as He led us to adopt again things started happening like crazy...Things that weren't from Him...things that were meant to stop us on this journey...bad things. And Bad things don't come from God. My pastor was preaching last night about how we all have a “Goliath” in our path. Let me just say that I had about 10,000 Goliaths in mine. The devil used every fear and past sin behavior I had in his attempt to make me NOT trust God and move forward. Of course he did. Satan never fights harder than when we adopt children. Every time a Christian family adopts a child he loses another one. He put up the biggest fight I have ever gone through. During the battle I started to doubt myself. I didn't doubt God. Maybe I had just misunderstood what He told me in my bathtub all those months ago. Maybe He used that to put me in place to stop the scammer...to advocate for the baby...to speak to his father in jail about Christ's love for him. I didn't know. All I knew was that since Adrian's adoption didn't go through NOTHING had happened. No leads on babies. No words from God. He was very quiet where the adoption was concerned. Last May Andrew and I decided that we were done. We talked ourselves into believing that God had released us from the adoption...I laugh out loud as I remember that moment. Actually I would like to go back in time and slap the crap out of both of us and yell, “Get over your stupid selfish selves!!! This isn't about you and YOUR comfort!”, BUT because we quit worrying about the adoption (which we shouldn't have done anyway) we had 4 glorious months of just being us. Our family was just our family, and we were thankful and content...well, we THOUGHT we were content.
During this time I was as close to God as ever. He continued to show me things about myself and allowed me to grow in Him. He had already proven to me that He NEVER leaves my side, and that He is always there to comfort and heal me. His Presence was as close and real as always.
Now let's fast forward to August 17. It was a Saturday, and we were all laying around in our pj's. I had left my phone in the back for a couple of hours. When I went to get it I had tons of texts and missed calls from my attorney. “Where are you LOU??” “LOU CALL ME”. “Lou a birth mom has chosen you guys”. WHAT??? WHAT???? After all this time and our decision to stop, and NOW a birth mom chooses us?? Do we want to even THINK about this?? What do we do? This part of the story will be an entire post in itself, but for now you get the picture. Shock. Picture shock. Picture total shock, a freaked out husband, and me on the phone with Natalie. Now picture God's amazing Grace and Mercy flowing down... and His peace... ahhhhh His peace.
There is so much that fills in this space, and it will take forever to tell, but the most important thing is this little face.

Meet Hudson. Meet God's promise. Meet God's grace and mercy and peace all rolled into one precious little soul. Meet my son. Oh friends! God is SO GOOD ALL THE TIME. He NEVER changes even through all my doubt, worry, and selfishness. His plan stays intact. It's just up to us to trust and follow. We've chosen to trust and follow.
This is only the beginning of Hudson's story. I made a commitment to God that I'm not stopping the telling of His story until He stops me. It doesn't matter how long it takes or how busy I am. God has done some amazingly fabulous things over the last 6 weeks for this family, and there are more to come. I'd love it if you'd commit to tagging along and witnessing Hudson's journey. I know that God has something special planned for each and every one of you who chooses to do so. How do I know?? Because He's already told me He does. He's prepared each and every heart of the people He wants on this journey. He TOLD me He has prepared hearts. This isn't for me. This is for YOU. Search your heart and see if God is asking you to come along. I have my hand extended to you and am more than happy to pull you along, and God?? God is always ready, and He is ready now.
I love you guys,
Lou

I’m finding my new “New”.

I’ve been struggling lately with WHO I am.  It’s been difficult making my way in this new life after the year long crazy rollercoaster adoption ride we were on. After months of praying we know that God has released us from the ride. I know that we did what He wanted us to do and that He put us in some uncomfortable situations all to bring Him glory. I pray we did that… I know we can never do enough for Him, but I’m thankful that He gave us the chance. They were painful lessons to be learned, but in the end it was all worth it.

I thought I had my immediate future pretty mapped out, and then BOOM. The girls are going off to kindergarten, and my days are going to be empty. EMPTY. Part of me screams “HALLELUJAH!!!!”,  and part of me doesn’t know what to do with myself. I know that I need to use this time to rest so I can stay healthy and able to take care of my family. I can’t rest all the time though…. I have to do things to keep myself busy. I HAVE to be creative….

Lately, I’ve been pulling out all of my forms of craftiness….. I’ve been sewing for the girls, slip covering, and redoing some furniture. It makes me feel alive. Alive, but tired. :) I know that I will have to pace myself, so I don’t get burnt out or over do it. For now it feels good to do some of the things that I love to do but haven’t had the time to.

Some of my newest projects are below.

I’ve made some new outfits for the girlies.

I used this classic Jennifer Paganelli fabric for some sweet capri pants and ruffle tank tops.

More classic Jennifer was used for these maxi dresses my girls wore to my niece’s wedding last weekend.

I slip covered this $10 chair and took it from this:

to this:

and I’m in the middle of redoing this hall tree for a client:

I don’t know what all God has in store for me, but I trust Him and His path. I know that all these things I love will come together in a way that works. God is ALWAYS good like that.

Love you guys.

God makes beautiful things….even through scammers.

When I look back today at that devastating moment just a couple of short months ago it seems like yesterday and 10 years ago at the same time. That day became a defining moment in my life and more importantly my relationship with Jesus. I'm actually sitting in the same spot on my sofa (not intentionally) where I was when the realization that we had been attacked by evil hit me. I can't really explain that moment...The moment when I KNEW that it was a lie. I do need to make something clear here. At this point WE STILL THOUGHT SHE HAD A BABY. That we weren't getting the baby was devastating enough, but more than anything else we were frantic for the safety of that  baby... In my mind there was an innocent little angel being sold to the highest bidder. I didn't know that she had gotten that picture of "Jeremiah" from the Internet or a picture frame at the dollar store. I was operating on the assumption that the baby was in danger. In this short period of just a few minutes I experienced every human emotion possible....well, except for happy and all words that mean the same. There was no happiness here at that point. Just try to picture a dark hole of devastation sucking every thing out of me. When she texted me (the coward refused to talk) that she wasn't giving us the baby my first emotion was devastation.... I felt like I had been kicked in the stomach. Literally. I was sobbing and gagging...I kept thinking I would throw up. I remember the exact look in Andrew's eyes. I saw pain...His pain wasn't about the baby. I could see how hurt he was seeing ME hurt. What do you say in a moment like that? There are no natural words... there is nothing HUMAN that can be done for a broken heart. My heart was broken...not just for the baby.. mostly for humanity or the loss of it. HOW in the world could someone be SO evil? How could a mother use a child for financial gain? How could someone be so flippant about the hurt she caused others? I can tell you how, and his name is Satan. I would experience extreme grief then anger. Serious anger. Anger like DeAmberdevilgirlyoubetterbegladIcan'tgetmyhandsonyoubecauseIdon'tknowwhatIwoulddotoyou anger. I remember holding my cell phone contemplating all the ways I was going to let this evil girl have it...Oh, trust me. I had some fine things planned for her......

Then everything changed, and his name is Jesus.

I love Jesus. Every day when I wake up He is my first coherant thought. I try my best every second of every day to do what He would have me to do. At least that's what I say. I've had the opportunity many times in my life to do what He wanted me to do in that moment, but this was the first time I obeyed.

As I was about to type my very human selfish message to DeAmber (as she called herself) I was filled with the MOST AMAZING LOVE I HAVE EVER EXPERIENCED IN MY LIFE. Love. For DeAmber. For the girl who had just devastated my entire family and broken my heart. Love. Pure love. Instead of being the angry person I wanted to be, I let Jesus make me who HE wanted me to be. I got to feel a TINY fraction of the love he feels for us....the love he has for us NO matter what we do...kill, lie, cheat, steal...selfishness, vanity, anger, entitlement. It grieves him to no end, but He loves us anyway. So... instead of lashing out at her in anger I let Him give me the words for her...the words that told of the love He had for her, which was evident in the fact that He was having me reach out to her instead of hating her. I told her that I couldn't imagine what had happened in her life that made it seem like what she did was ok or made her capable of doing it. I told her that Jesus loved her and was reaching out to her at that moment. She didn't care. I think that's what hit me the hardest. She didn't care what He was offering her after she did what she did. In her mind she had done nothing wrong. It didn't matter how she had hurt not only Andrew and me but also our children...She didn't care..... or she did care but was so full of evil she didn't want to try to fight for herself. I don't know...

When her attitude of indifference was apparent things changed. The Holy Spirit was giving me things to say to her that would NEVER come out of MY mouth. I would NEVER be bold enough to say the truths he had me say to her. I'd try to walk away, and He'd bring me back to tell her something else. When she wasn't responsive Jesus told me it was ok "to dust off my shoes and walk away". (Matthew 10:6). So I did.

Wow. I didn't know how else to explain what had just happened. Wow. How do you explain what had just happened to me?? With words??? I didn't really know how. As amazing as this sounds the MOST amazing part of this story hasn't happened yet. I started explaining to my dear spirit twin Andrea what had happened with words... Not texts. Words. Words that enter the atmosphere...words that are HEARD by all. Something happened in that moment when I spoke the words of God...the words He gave me to speak. WHEN THE WORDS CAME OUT THE WALL CAME DOWN, and OH How the wall came down.

The power of the words of the Lord. Amazing power people. That part of the story comes next, and I promise. It's GOOOOOOD. This is where the happy comes back.

Dear God, thank you for this part of my life, and thank you for allowing me to share it with these people. Most of these people I've never met or will never know. I know there is a purpose in all you do, and I pray that this story you've given me will give someone somewhere what they need. It's not about me. It's all about you, and your honor, and your amazing glory. Please use what you've done in me to touch the person or people out there that you've had me share this story for. Please lead all those who need it to this place to read it. My biggest prayer is that through this you would lead someone to you in a way they've never experienced before. It's all for you. I love you with my everything. Amen.

I am usually hesitant about sharing this entire story with "strangers", but I've come to realize that it's not MY story. It belongs to Jesus, and the whole purpose is to glorify him and bring more people to his Kingdom. I'm asking that you share this story. Share it on your blogs, on your Facebook, through your email. Send to who God leads you to.....

Part one of the story can be found here, and the story of how we were led to adopt again can be found here.

At least she was a professional scammer….

I want to share this story, although it was one of the most painful experiences of my life.

It all started with this woman:

And this baby:

The story of what happened to us is here. I’ve copied a part of it for you to have here. If you go to the page and the video I’m the woman in the shadow. I didn’t want my face broadcast all over the place, but I thought it was important to tell our story.

A Fairhope woman who wanted to remain anonymous believes evil exists and it's found in Oklahoma. "Disbelief that someone could be so evil, and what amounted to $600 and something dollars," said a Fairhope woman who did not want to be identified.Oklahoma police say 20-year-old DaVanna Dotson faces eight felony charges for fraud. Her alleged crimes spans several states including Texas, Kansas, Alabama and Utah.Dotson was arrested in Oklahoma, where she lived on September 23 of this year. Police there said she preyed on people desperate for a child of their own."She says she has a baby born August 30, three weeks old. And she needed money to get to Mobile, and needed a home for the baby," said the Fairhope woman.Through a series of texts and phone calls, police say Dotson makes hopeful adoptive parents believe their dreams of having a family are coming true. Dreams pinned on a picture of a newborn baby boy she calls Jeremiah.

Text, after text, after text, police say Dotson assured potential adoptive parents like one Fairhope woman that she wants them to adopt her son. But first, she needs gas money to bring them the baby. A baby they've been dreaming of. The twisted tale of text messages describes a mother desperate to get back to Mobile and give baby Jeremiah a home. The Fairhope woman said Dotson asked her for $400 to pay for her trip from Oklahoma to Mobile and then asked for even more money. See for yourself in this excerpt from the text messages exchanged after Dotson describes trouble heading south. The Fairhope woman questions Dotson, who claims to be on the road driving to Alabama with the baby.  Potential adoptive parent: Do you know where y'all are? How much further do you have?Dotson replies: Nine hours, I'm going to need more gas.

The Fairhope woman questions her further.

Potential adoptive parent: You don't have enough to make it here? I thought you said $400 was plenty for gas? I need to hear back from you. The worry intensifies. The potential adoptive mother: We sent you $575. We want to help you get here, we just need more information. Where are you now? Dotson: I can't stop, I rather drive. If you send me another $500, we can just do everything closed and I'll bring him straight to you then we can go from there.

The Fairhope woman explains she can't send anymore money, and ask a question she fears she knows the answer to.

Potential adoptive parent: Did you ever intend to place this baby?Dotson responds: Yes, but I am not placing him with you."It is hard to describe at first when the moment sank in it was all a lie that there was just no baby, just devastation," said the Fairhope woman."My husband was sitting there, and I was sobbing because we've already gone through failed attempts at adoption and this was hard on us."

The Fairhope woman is just one of the people Oklahoma police said Dotson scammed. Lynn Hamlin, an investigator with the Muskogee Police Department said she has never seen anything so sinister. She said Dotson's deviant detailed deception took place in eleven states, and possibly more. "It is so widespread. A lot of the victims were from Alabama," said Investigator Hamlin. “It was one of states; so to speak, she was working on at the time she was apprehended." Hamlin said recently an alleged victim has stepped forward who is from Perdido, Alabama. The alleged victim was given the same story as the Fairhope woman, and many others across the country. Hamlin said the Federal Bureau of Investigations could get involved in the case since it crossed state lines. "Hopefully, we can get the FBI involved also and that gives us more resources that our State's District Attorney's Office," said Hamlin.

This story was well written except for one part:

Police there said she preyed on people desperate for a child of their own.

I’m not “desperate” for a baby. I wasn’t clinging to some hope that they was “the answer to our dreams”. In all reality I thought that we were helping a girl get home. I had actually told Andrew the night before that if we didn’t end up with her baby that at least we had helped someone get home.  There was never a baby though.

I’m not telling this story so anyone will feel sorry for me…That’s not it at all. Something amazing happened to me at this time, and it has ended up being one of the most amazing experiences of my life. I know this post has a lot of information, so I’m going to tell the other part of the story in another post coming soon.

Love you guys.