Update on Adoptions from Haiti

Read Tapestry's update on the current adoption landscape in Haiti . . . [more]

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The Tapestry Blog

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A Community of God's Stories

There is tremendous power in our stories – not just for what they tell, but for what they reveal.  As Madeline L’Engle writes, “Stories, no matter how simple, can be vehicles of truth.”  This reality was best reflected by the master storyteller himself who explained to his disciples why he told stories: to “create readiness and nudge people toward receptive insight.” (Matthew 13:12, The Message)

As a community of people who share in one way or another the common bond of loving and caring for children that are not "of us" but are "ours" nonetheless, we know firsthand the power and importance of stories.  For many of us it was an adoption story, in all of its hope-filled reality, that finally allowed us to dream of loving a child again.  For others it was a story that stirred our hearts with compassion and prevented us from ignoring any longer the God-kissed promptings toward adoption or foster care.  Our stories reveal our hopes and dreams, our hurts and fears.  They tell of the road we have traveled, the places at which we arrived along the way and the destinations we have still yet to reach.  Our stories reveal what has shaped us, who we truly are and all that we hope to become.  And it is in our stories that our adoption and foster care journeys are fully revealed and best understood because they are, after all, ultimately God’s stories.

Frederick Buechner speaks best to this truth when he writes: “My story is important not because it is mine, God knows, but because if I tell it anything like right, the chances are you will recognize that in many ways it is also yours.  Maybe nothing is more important than that we keep track, you and I, of these stories of who we are and where have come from and the people we have met along the way because it is precisely through these stories in all their particularity, as I have long believed and often said, that God makes himself known to each of us most powerfully and personally.”

Telling Your Story

We believe that everyone has a story.  No matter where you are in the adoption or foster care journey, you have a story to tell.  And your story is not just about what has already happened, but what is happening and what is yet to come.  Thus, one of the most important things we can do as a community – indeed one of the things that makes us a true community – is to tell our stories.  This is why we have begun the Tapestry Story Project. 

In the end, we believe that these stories – our stories – will beautifully reveal the redemptive love of God and point to the true miracle of adoption.

Catch a brief glimpse at some of our stories:


A Glimpse at the Tapestry from Tapestry on Vimeo.


So Much Bigger Than Us from Tapestry on Vimeo.


No Better Time Than Now from Tapestry on Vimeo.

Some of Our Stories

  • The Monroe Family: Expecting the Unexpected - At 5:45 one morning our phone rang and the voice on the other end of the line said these exact words, “You don’t know who I am, but I’ve got a baby for you.”  Read more about the Monroe's adoption journey.
  • The Violi Family: Finding Joy in the Journey - For us, one of the hardest parts of the adoption process was figuring out where to begin.  We had done some independent research, but we didn’t know where to turn or who to trust with our really difficult questions.  Read more about the Violi's adoption journey.
  • The Stertzer Family: The Perfect Fit - One of the most profound days of our lives had finally arrived. It was August 9, 2004. We were pacing the floor of our hotel room in Nanchang, China, nervously awaiting the arrival of our soon-to-be daughter, Mia Joy. Read more about the Stertzer's adoption journey.
  • The Cuchens Family: Home Is Where Your Story Begins - It is amazing to us that some people perceive “family” to mean only those with biological children. This was a source of sadness as we navigated the rocky waters of infertility.  Read more about the Cuchens' foster care and adoption journey.

    • Update to the Cuchen's Family Story:  A Temporary Delay - During foster care training, an instructor told Laurie and me, “Remember when The Beatles sang All You Need is Love? In foster care, forget about it. It takes a lot more than love. The children coming into your home are there as a result of some form of trauma and you’re going to need a lot more than love. You’re going to need patience, discretion, communication between spouses… I could go on and on.”  Read more about Billy's perspective as an adoptive father.
  • The McClellan Family: We're Expecting, Too - My husband, Scott, and I started our journey with the simple phrase, "We’re open to adoption." God heard us and provided opportunities for us to learn more about adoption.  Read more about the McClellan's adoption journey as they wait to bring their child home from Vietnam.

    • Update to the McClellan Family's Story: A Precious Little Stranger - On Christmas Day 2008, Scott and Annie returned from Vietnam to the U.S. with Elise An.  The chronicled much of their adoption journey, including their trip to Vietnam, on their blog - McClellan Town.  Months later, Annie wrote these brief , but poignant, thoughts about Elise and their journey together . . . [read more]
  • Jill Silvey & Melia: Single But Not Alone - I can’t adopt a child, not with my career.” “There is no way I can do this as a single person, and my family lives in another state.” “I travel too much for my job, this will never work.” These are just a few of the many thoughts that swirled in my mind for close to five years. I had long known that God was calling me to adopt. Whether I was married or not, this was something I was sure about. But practically I just didn’t see how it was going to happen.  Read more about Jill's adoption journey as she waits to bring Melia home.
  • The Macdonald Family: The Gardens of Life - We moved into our current home about two years ago.  As with any previously owned home, there were a few not so welcome surprises.  Those were easily overcome, however, by the beautiful landscaping, in particular the well planned and maintained backyard garden that we inherited with our new home. Read more about what Cheryl has discovered about her daughter adopted from Russia.
  • The Smith Family: The Blessing Comes Full Circle -  When we were married in 1992 we started off living our lives as many young couples do – as if we were in complete control.  As the years passed we remained involved in church, we had a solid marriage, both of us had good jobs and we were blessed with a young daughter (Hannah) and a second child on the way.  But on February 19, 1999 our son, Troy Carlin, was stillborn, and everything changed.  Read more about the Smith's adoption journey.

    • Update to the Smith Family's Story: From the Burbs to the Bush - They were planning to move from suburban life in Flower Mound, Texas, to serve as missionaries in Zambia.  They sold their home and their cars, quit their jobs and prepared to move the entire family to Africa.  Well, they finally arrived in Africa in December and are now serving there full time -- but they never made it to Zambia . . . [read more]
  • The Rives Family: Still Room for More - The smell of filth assaulted my nostrils as I opened the car door to catch a glimpse of our new guests with their matted brown hair and dirt smudged faces.  At 18 months old, the twins slept soundly in their car seats before the caseworker and I roused them to carry them into the house.  Read more about the Rives' 14 year foster care journey - or read this version of their story published in the May/June 2009 issue of Fostering Families Today magazine.
  • The Donovan Family: Unexpected Grace - In December 2007, we went inactive as foster parents to pursue a private domestic adoption. At about the same time we received an email from some friends in Tapestry concerning a 10 month old girl that a local agency was actively pursuing a home for.  Read more about the Donovan's grace-filled adoption journey.
  • The Wolverton Family: With Thankful Hearts - We are thankful for so many things God has done in our lives.  Our adoption story, like that of all families, is unique and special – one that God ordained before the beginning of time.  Read more about the Wolverton's adoption journey.

  • The Robinson Family: Answering the Call - In September of 2005 God put it on my heart to care for children in the foster care system.  We were at a high school football game and at halftime I was introduced to a foster mom named Julie.  Read more about how and why the Robinsons became a foster family.

  • The Dishman Family: Turning to the Unfamiliar - Do you remember those long conversations before you and your spouse got married? Most men have probably not used as many words during their entire married life as they did during those days.  Read more about the Dishman's adoption journey.

  • The Armbrust Family: Step by Step - It is no surprise that God knew long before we did that He planned for us to adopt children.  We tuned into His plan in the summer of 2005 when we were introduced over and over again to families who had adopted.  Read more about how God led the Armbrust family to adopt from foster care.
  • The Brown Family: Around the World . . . and Back - When we first decided to adopt in October 2005 we were fearful of any kind of open or even semi-open adoption – so much so that we were prepared to literally go to the other side of the world to have a closed adoption.  When it came to adoption, we were in large part motivated by fear.  Read more about the Brown's adoption journey thus far.
  • The Kendrick Family: An Island of Calm - In many ways Russ* was a typical 7 year old.  He loved to wear baseball hats and swim.  He could count to 10 in Spanish and cheated when we played Candy Land.  It was not surprise then that the first time he had ever heard the words “foster care” was when he and his baby brother, Joshua, arrived at our home.  Read more about how God is using the Kendrick family to love and serve children in foster care.
  • The Van Kirk Family: The Joy of Persevering - To persevere – to continue doing something despite difficulty.  This is one of the two most prominent words that come to mind when we think about our adoption story. The other is joy.  Read more about the Van Kirk family's adoption journey.

Resources to Help You Tell Your Story

  • A Few Things to Consider When Telling Your Child's Story - adoptive parents love to share their children's stories, but here are a few things to consider when telling your child's story (download pdf)

  • Adoption & Foster Care Blogging Tips (download pdf)

  • Lifebook Resources - helpful tips and ideas for creating an adoption lifebook for your child (download pdf)

  • More Storytelling Ideas - a collection of articles and stories from Adoptive Families magazine

Understanding Our Adoption In Christ

Our adoption into God's family through faith in Jesus Christ is the greatest adoption miracle of all.  Explore some of our favorite resources celebrating our spiritual adoption in Christ . . . [more]

Tapestry Newsletter

Read the most recent edition of the Tapestry Newsletter or all of our past editions.  To receive the Tapestry Newsletter (published quarterly) and announcements regarding upcoming Tapestry events and activities via e-mail, just complete and submit the form below.

Stories and Articles Written by Michael Monroe

The Tapestry Story Project

Want to be part of the Tapestry Story Project?  'Tell' us your story by writing it down and then share it with us.  It can be a single aspect of your story or your entire story in all of its glorious detail.  We are collecting these 'God stories' and will use them in various ways to encourage, inspire and inform those in our community as well as many others.  To be part of the Tapestry Story Project simply send your written story to us via email at tapestry@irvingbible.org.  Please do not include any confidential information or other facts that you do not want to be made known to others.

AdoptiveDads.org

Adoptive and foster dads and dads-to-be should visit www.adoptivedads.org, a website with great articles, stories and resources geared towards guys.