Celebrate Adoption group

As many of you reading this blog are already aware, Tom and I own The Shepherd's Nook, a Christian bookstore in Marion. Over the past couple of years we have been sharing our adoption progress with the customers that come in and have been very open to talk about our process and adoption status. Throughout that time, we have met so many people in the local community that have had their lives impacted by both local and international adoption. We have met children that have been adopted and adults that were adopted as children. We have been welcomed into this adoption community with open arms since we announced our plans to travel to Kazakhstan to bring home our daughter.

I never would have guessed how many lives are truly impacted by this life-changing commitment. Nearly everyone knows somebody close to them that has been adopted!

A little over a year ago we held a "Pancakes for Emily" fundraiser at All Occasions in Waldo. Our family, friends, co-workers and perfect strangers came out to support what we were doing. We are so grateful to all the people that came out to support our efforts to bring Emily into our family. I wish that all adopting families could have as much support as we have!

Tom and I have been brainstorming some ideas since that event last year. We would like to start up an adoption support group for families and individuals in the area. Some ideas we have for this group would be regular social events, an annual Celebrate Adoption gathering, internet and email support, and more. We would like to help those interested in adoption to make important connections and would like to connect families in the area that have adopted.

If you have any suggestions, comments, would like to join a group like this or know someone who would, please feel free to email me!

Thanks and be blessed!
-jenni

tjhypes@yahoo.com