Our Journey with Gideon began about one year ago. Actually, it really began almost 9 months before that when some new friends came and lived with us for a summer while they were looking for a home to buy. Eric and Darci had planned for years to adopt from Haiti. Jeb and I had never thought about it once. We had thought about adopting but had never thought about from where or when. We knew God would make it happen if it was supposed to. As our friends began their process with adoption something in us became more and more interested until it became clear that the Lord was leading us to this one particular boy.

We began the process to adopt in March of 2011 only to have to stop everything in April when Jeb was laid off from his job of 11 years. Wow! We wondered what the Lord was doing. He seemed to speak to my heart a few days before we were to hear the dreaded words, "we have to let you go." He seemed to say "I am doing this because I love Gideon and he is going to need a father who is at home 7 days a week. This is how much I love him." At the time Jeb was gone 3-4 days a week for work. So we waited and He encouraged us often. Many job opportunities came and went. I often said to Jeb, "This job just doesn't seem to be the job God has for you because of the travel" and the job would not come to be. In July we started wondering if the Lord was asking us to move back to Arizona to be near our family. As we pursued that possibility doors began to open for us to start our own company here.

It was hard and easy to step through those doors. It was easy because we were moving near family and because the Lord made it very clear we were to go. It was hard because we moved ourselves and said goodbye to so many special things God had allowed us to be a part of. As we drove we had no idea where we would live or how to own our own business. It felt like a lot to figure out but of course, he all ready had it and has it figured out.

It is now a year later, we take one day at a time. We are learning as we go. The business seems to be on the right track. We have added new clients and Jeb is learning the ins and outs of pools very quickly. I had no doubt he would. Jeb and I are together cleaning pools 4 out of 5 days and enjoying it. They are very complicated luxuries that a lot of people in Arizona own. That is a good thing for us.

We have just begun the adoption process again. We had to change agencies and had to wait for that agency and Gideon's orphanage to get some paperwork in order. We are now good to go. We have received the mound of paperwork and have begun the enormous task of putting together a home study. We are so excited to get started. We hope that you will take this journey with us...