The Growing Coats Family

     As always we take a long time to update this blog. I beg that you don't loose interest! We have a story to tell and all of us hope that it changes your life! Whether you choose to adopt, to advocate or just pray for all of the people young and old in this world that need food, a roof over their heads, families.
     We spent a very busy summer. All the girls, except Kate, attended Miracle Camp in MI and came away powered with His word. It was hard! This is the first time ever that Claude and I have let any of our 12 children attend a camp. The girls did great...me? I think I did ok...in July all the girls, Claude, and I drove to South Dakota to see Mt. Rushmore, Bear Country, did a LOT of driving, dropped down to spend a week in Denver visiting our son Kris and his family. While there the other event was the girls attending Adopteen. This is a camp where there were about 110 adopted teens, both boys and girls, from China. They connected both socially and by sharing their lives. We know long term friends were made. Then the balance of the summer was spend in home school, relaxing, and a few projects.
    

And now, we introduce Lilly. The adoption agency that we use, Madison Adoption Associates, all agreed that this little girl is a "Coats" girl. My initial response (Besides Oh my this is MY daughter) was Hmmm, there are no princess's in our house.  They immediately explained that the group that took the pictures try to take away the stress of all of the paperwork and questions asked, etc and do a Makeover of sorts...a fun time. And Lilly had chose to be a princess. Lilly will be 12 March 3rd. We are going to keep her name of Lilly. For the first time ever we were able to witness our child being told they have a family. It was wrenching to not be able to be there and console her and hug her. She at first could not seem to take it all in. The photo album of family pictures and them explaining about us. Then she put her hand up to her eyes and was crying. Overcome with gladness. What a moment to always have in our hearts!

     Last year at this time Claude and I started the process to see if we could adopt a young lady that is two of our daughters best friend. I explain it that basically they were triplets. I bought a sparkly tote bag and hung it on my door in anticipation of taking it to China to give her with some goodies in it and to use on her return trip home with me. We called her Taylor. She has a presence in our home, in my office with a photo on the wall, in our hearts and heads. We were told this summer that it was not looking good in regards to getting her paperwork submitted to the adoption offices in China. We waited...and waited...checked in occasionally. I knew in my head that it wasn't going to happen. That something was stalling the file being submitted. Several months ago we were told (I do not envy the job that Diana had in telling us) that it was not going to be possible to adopt Taylor. That she aged out. Claude and I both had very heavy hearts. And still do. We also had to explain this to the two girls first, then tell the rest of the girls. Behind closed door we told this to the two girls...I hope to never deliver such devastating news again to anyone.
     Then Claude and I had to make a decision of do we use the Homestudy approval for two daughters or just stay with bringing home Lilly. We made the decision to seek a second daughter to bring home...all the while still with heavy hearts of not being able to bring Taylor. A lady approached me and said she didn't want to bother me but she thought of our family for a child she was advocating for. She shared her picture with me and when I opened the photo I was with tears. That Red Thread connection:
"An invisible red thread connects those destined to meet, regardless of time, place, or circumstances. The thread may stretch or tangle, but never break." - Ancient Chinese Proverb

 

 This is the child that made me weep. Why? She is a daughter that we have not yet held, comforted, that has not been with us yet to know about our family. This child spent the time that the volunteers were at her SWI in TELLING them that everychild wants a family but that SHE NEEDS A FAMILY. This child repeatidly pulled the volunteers to the bulliton board of family photos of adopted children that she has seen over the years and pointed to the pictures and said will YOU find MY family? The volunteers promised her they would try. The volunteers did try! And they did find her forever family. She also is a Coats girl. Our son Kris will have to teach two more sisters the chant about We are the Coats girls, Mighty Mighty Coats girls....meet our daughter Wren.

     We have said so many times, this is the last adoption. We are saying it again. The van is full as it seats 12. The bedrooms are full. We told the people in Chicago when we were fingerprinted that if they see us again holding papers to be fingerprinted again to tell us NO.