120 Children Home: Celebrating 5 years as adoption consultants - Part 3

As a husband-and-wife professional team we get to spend lots of time sharing in our vocational passion of adoption consulting. We both bring different gifts to the table, and we work in different capacities, but we love talking about "our" families together. We get to celebrate the milestones, the good news, the heartbreaks, together. We believe we bring something unique and special to the Christian Adoption Consultants team - a group of equally special, gifted and talented adoption professionals who collectively have served hundreds of families over the years.

We shared in Part 1 and Part 2 of our post about our journey to become adoption consultants, and the Top 10 reasons we love our job. We'd like to conclude our 3 part post sharing some facts and stats of our 5 years as adoption consultants with CAC. So here we go:

the total numbers
43 boys + 77 girls = 120 children home!

special needs program – physical needs or older child/sibling adoptions
21 children

our first family match
A special needs baby boy

returning CAC families
we’ve had 1 family match and bring home 3 girls within 4 years. Also, 21 families have adopted a second time, including sibling adoptions

big families adopting
1 family currently with 15 children, as well as a family with 13.

total families we’ve consulted for
131 families

wait times for our families
5 ½ months average – some families this included homestudy completion time!

local and across the country
We have consulted for families from 25 states, including several local families in Florida where we live. We have met 20 of our families in person!

adoption in the family
one of our families adopting made it the 3rd generation of their family to adopt!

The numbers are cool to see – a neat way to look back over the past 5 years and recall the families we’ve served, but our reward is truly received when we know how we’ve impacted families so deeply. So, we wanted to share a few closing remarks in the way of some quotes from our families about how they’ve been encouraged and touched by us and how we do what we do:

“If someone were to ask me how to begin the adoption process, I would tell them without hesitation to call or email Jason and Dawn. I understand that the financial part of adopting can seem intimidating and that one may think the cost of a consultant is not necessary, but I would encourage anyone to start with CAC because the help and encouragement and wisdom that comes from experience is worth every penny. Starting with Jason and Dawn means you have an advocate to guide you through each step, and there is a huge comfort in having them a quick phone call or email away when questions or urgent situations come up. Their respect and love for everyone involved in the adoption process is reflected in how they serve others and guide adoptive parents on their journey.”
-Brian & Julie, Georgia

“Life changing experience for us. We always refer others to CAC first because Dawn & Jason prayed for us and with us during the entire process.”
-Ryan & Mendy, Iowa

“You are amazing - we Thank God for you every day.”
-Paul & Suzi, Florida

"Our adoption journey was one we could have never anticipated. Six and a half years waiting (five of those in international adoption) and several failed adoptions. The road was long with many twists and turns. But ultimately this very road led us to our beautiful daughter. We are so thankful for all the love, prayers, and encouragement that Dawn gave to us during our time working with CAC. She is truly amazing and was always just a text away! She always encouraged us that God was in control and He knew exactly who our baby was. Thank you, Dawn for your part in our journey to our daughter! The wait was so very worth it!!!!"
-Justis & Bobbi, North Carolina

“Working with Dawn and Jason with CAC gave us the confidence to accept a situation with an excellent small agency across the country. We are so grateful that we could quickly check the agency out though CAC's network. This led to our two littlest members of our crew.”
- Dan & Summer, Illinois

“This is MY Mommy” are the words my oldest son used this morning when introducing me to his friends at preschool. The magnitude of those words still hits me at my core. Our road to start a family was not easy and was full of hills and valleys. We signed on with Dawn at CAC in April 2014 and were holding our son in our arms in July of that same year. Dawn is not only a wealth of adoption knowledge, but she is a prayer warrior. Her faith and strength are contagious, and I look back now and it all makes sense. The hills, the valleys, the tears, it is because I was always meant to be HIS Mommy. Dawn and CAC are part of our story and I cannot imagine our adoption path without them. Their words of trust, strength and faith are what I love most about them.”

- Allison & Bryan, Iowa

“Thank you so much for all of your love and support thus far on our adoption journey. It's a very long road. At times it's discouraging. At times we wonder, "Is God in this?" And then we think of all of you. We remember all of the love, generosity, prayers, and encouragement we've received from you. We think back on all the ways that God has shown us his faithfulness and kindness through you. So thank you. We love you all and are so thankful to have you walking with us on this journey.”
-David & Sarah, Pennsylvania

“We are so thankful for you and all that you’ve done, and continue to do, to help us along our adoption journey. You’re such a blessing to us!”
-Todd & Jen, Maryland

To chat with us about adoption, contact us anytime:

Dawn: (813) 360-7368

wrights@christianadoptionconsultants.com

Tomorrow's my Birthday!!! 41 Things I love.....

 So here we go I thought I would share with you 41 things I Love..... since tomorrow is my 41st Birthday! 

1)  I love little surprises my husband comes up with for us to do.  It doesn't have to cost money even, but just the thought and time he takes to put something together for us to do makes me smile and fall in love with him again!

 2)  I LOVE MY JOB!!!!!!!!!  I love working with adoptive families walking them through the process of adoption!  Answering questions, talking on the phone with them, encouraging them, and praying with and for them.  I love working with birth mothers when I get the chance.  I love doing home studies for families preparing to do an adoption.  I LOVE IT ALL!!!!  I am one Blessed Person!!

3)  I Love meeting our clients!!!  Some are local and I get to see them more often- even better!  Since our clients are all over the United States we don't always get the pleasure, but when we do- I LOVE IT!!!!  :) 

 4)  I love our job even more because Jason and I get to work together from home!!!  What a great bonus!!!  To be married to someone who shares your passion!  He is amazing at doing profiles and paperwork for our clients.  He also does a lot of web based work as well for adoption. 

 5)  I really love babies....children really of all ages.  I think this may be why we have 9 ;).  He he he he....but who can resist this????  NOT ME!!!

6)  I love the people we get to work with!!!!  We have amazing leaders and co workers that treat us with respect and are very gracious with us!!!  Makes it even more of a pleasure to do what we do! 

 7)  I love CAMP!!!!!  As in I love being a counselor, working with students of all ages.  Currently I am very involved  in jr/sr high youth ministry and I love it!!!  Even though it isn't easy....I still love it.  I love witnessing, praying, being with youth!!!!

 8)  I love HOME!  We have had quite a few changes in the past few years....but now when I come HOME- this is it!!!  I love the feeling of knowing that unless God calls us elsewhere- this is it!  This is our home.  It is nice knowing that you are settled and you love where you live! 

 9)  I love special memories with our children!  Taking them on "dates" and getting to know them better.  Treating them to something special.  Love it!

 10)  I love coming home to this!  Squeezes.... everyone yelling MOOOOMMMMMMM!!!!!  :)

11)  I love the great outdoors!  Which is another reason to live on 3 acres!  Space, trees, grass, gardens- I love being close to what God created! 

 12)  I love watching miracles happen.....  I may be tearing up right now, but just the thought of this little man makes me cry with joy!  Just knowing that I serve a God who creates miracles daily-----  whew....  I just can't help myself!!!

13)  I love TEACHING!  Now for those who don't know Music Education is what my degree is in.  I love teaching!  It is a passion of mine.  I was a band teacher, then I taught about Jesus at camp, and now I get to teach families about adoption.   I was always and always will be a teacher of Jesus in our home as well as math, English, science, history, geography, reading, writing, and much more at home! 

 14)  I love watching my children play.  I love playing with them just as much!!!

15)  I love Mountain Dew ;)

 16)  I LOVE THIS MAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  After 17 years he hasn't left me in the dust.  He hasn't written me off.  He hasn't said forget it.  Instead we have kept working through things bit by bit.  Little by little God has given us grace for the moment to get through some really crazy tough things!!!  AND WE ARE STILL IN LOVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I don't know what I did to deserve my handsome man, but I am thankful daily that God sent him to me!!! 

 17)  I love music!  Music is a love language of mine.  It is where I find deep worship and God speaking to me.  It is something I have loved since I was young.  It is something I enjoy!!

18)  I love our friends and family who have supported us through the years.  Some have come and gone due to distance and time.  Some have stayed.  I love that people have reached out to us and supported us even through the craziest of times! 

 19)  I love helping and serving others.  I loved doing missions week.  I love seeing a need and being able to fill it.  When I used to teach in a small town I was also a volunteer EMT and that was an awesome way to serve. 

20)  I love prayer time.  I have so much to be thankful for, so much to seek God's face over.... and so thankful that God loved me so much as to send His one and only son to die for me.  My prayer time is a time I take seriously because it is how I get to know my Jesus.  It is a way I can really truly accept His grace and love for me.  Only then can I pass it on.  

 21)  I love blogging!!  Even though I don't get nearly as much time as I would like to do it- it is definitely a love.  I enjoy encouraging, being real, sharing, and just being me.

22)  I love FB, Instagram, Pinterest, and other fun internet things that keep me connected and places where I can learn more about so many things.  I can keep in constant contact with clients, read great articles on connection with my children, find great sensory activities to do, and see crazy fun pictures of my friends. 

 23)  I love pizza, angel food cake, fried pickles, watermelon, honey dew, and meat on the grill.  Oh yes, and ICE CREAM!!!  YUMMY!!!

24)  I love swimming!!!  I love going to a pool, the beach, water parks, water balloons, splash parks, anything with water!!!!

 25)  I love dancing.  Not as in serious moves or anything like that, but just dancing.  Secret time...  sometimes during prayer time I put in my headphones and just dance before the Lord.  I also like just being silly as well.  Sometimes your joy just needs to explode.

26)  I love reading scripture and books that help me learn more about scripture.  There was a definite time in my life this wasn't true, but the more I grow the more it is definitely true.  I used to think that I knew enough about the Bible, but I have learned that isn't possible.  Now when I read the Bible I find sooo much more.  Believe me this is a God thing.  Thankful..... 

 27)  I love going out on little adventures.  Whether it is to the park, out to eat ice cream, to a National Park, vacation, to see something new, museum, zoo, beach, whatever- I love going out and about.  :)

28)  I love my church!  Not just the building...but the people, the worship, the uneasiness I get when the pastor is preaching and I know I need to change my attitude and heart about a few things.  Life group and sharing together as a Body of Christ! 

29)  I love a challenge!  As in one thing I have always loved is when someone challenges me and says it can't be done.  Ummmmm.....those are fighting words!  ;)

30)  I love making lists and checking things off my list.  :)  Yes, I am a list person and I am not afraid to admit it! 

31)  I love theme parks!!!  Busch Gardens, Universal, Sea World, Disney parks, any of them!!!! 

32)  I love rides!!!  The faster, higher, scarier- I'm in!!!!

33)  I love playing games.  Boggle specifically.  As in I am very competitive on this particular game....  I love Wii bowling and boxing.  I love card games, board games, and outdoor games. 

34)  I love cheering on people.  Especially my husband and children, but others as well.  I know this may shock you, but I was a cheerleader back in the day.  I definitely have the mouth for it ;).  But I love cheering people on in a game, or in life, or in whatever they are doing.  I enjoy seeing people try hard and do their best! 

35)  I love matching shirts/outfits.  I know it may be a sickness, but I can't help it. 

36)  I love my quiet time......  many afternoons in our home we have a "quiet time rotation".  Where the kids have stations of doing a educational computer game, reading, writing, quiet play, homework, etc.  That is the time of the day I do a lot of work, but that is also the time when I get to pray, focus on my goals, read my Bible, dream, and just chill! 

37)  I love being crazy!!!!  Yes, hard to believe really I am sure ;).  I just think you only live once and sometimes you just have to do something silly.  I blame this on my mom since she was always ready to embarrass me or be crazy herself. 

38)  I love seeing my children grow in their faith!!!  NOTHING is more rewarding that seeing God move in the hearts of your children.  PRAISE GOD!

39)  I love racing!!!  OK it isn't like I go to the indoor race track often.  I have done it a few times, but I do love racing.  I know I know....you shouldn't race on your way to church.  You have to be safe, but sometimes......  I can't help it.  It is just a part of me.  Like get out of my way!!!  I am coming through!!!!!  :)  Don't be scared- I am a very safe driver promise!!!

40)  I love my children!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Nothing keeps me on my toes, on my knees, and pushing towards God than my children.  They give me the greatest joys and yes push me to the edge often in the same minute.  I am thankful daily for each and every one of them and their personalities.  They challenge me to be a better person and to keep growing! 

41)  I love being who God made me to be.  This may sound obvious, but I am happy with what God gave me.  I know my life is far from perfect.  I am just happy to have what I have.  I feel content with my life.  :)  I may not have a perfect body, lots of things that others do, or whatever, but I love what I have. 

Whew!!!  If you read all that- wow!!!  That is a lot.  Of course you may have found out more than you wanted to know!  :)

One thing I always share every year on my birthday is about the miracle God did in my life now 33 years ago!!!!  33 years ago (in 2 days) I found out I had cancer.  We were on vacation and my "stomach" started to hurt.  When my parents took me to the hospital they ran tests.  The tests showed that I had cancer. 

That cancer proved to weigh over 5 lbs. in a little 8 year old girl's body.  When they went to do surgery they found out it was malignant.  It took many doctors several hours of surgery- scraping everything in my abdominal area, taking out anything not absolutely necessary to live, and putting me back together again.  I thank God daily that HE HEALED ME!!!!!  There is NO other explanation. 

I am 33 years cancer free and thankful to be alive.  What do I want for my birthday?  More Jesus and my family.  Because after God heals you like that- that is all you need.  :)

To read my full testimony- GO HERE!!!  :)

My BIG 4-0 BABY!!!! Remembering 32 years ago yesterday.........

 So my day started off with all the kiddos jumping in my bed singing happy birthday to me!!  :)

 Then my hubby bringing out a confetti gun- I mean one of those large tubes!!!  Yes....I spent a lot of yesterday cleaning it up.  No worries our home always needs a good scrub anyway ;). 

 Joanna is showing me her card :)......

 Surrounded by my babes.......

 And my hubby.........

 Awww........

 It was a great way to start the day!!!!

 I even had chocolate chip cookies with ice cream in the middle (cookies made by my kiddos)!  Hey at this point you know you only live once!  :)

 Balloon fight!!!  Then my hubby said he was giving me a surprise- one that we were supposed to do on our anniversary, but instead we were with Michael (obviously more important!!!). 

 This was part of my surprise!  A helicopter ride!!!!!

 Yes, of course we are both sharing photos on FB!!!!

 Aren't we cute? 

 Take a closer look- definitely cute ;)

 Sooo....up up and away!!!!  It was pretty smooth, a little bumpy, but not in a bad way at all.  It was more like we were floating.  Kind of like how I would imagine a super hero floats up into the sky. 

 Then.......another surprise!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 He circled over our HOME!!!!  With my babes out front!!!!!!!!!  :)

 We also went over Busch Gardens!!!!  Whoop whoop!!!

 Sheikra- one of my favorite rides!!! 

 Montu!!

 Then we flew over Tampa!  It was awesome!!!!!  I will spare you the many other pictures ;). 

 Awww..........it was amazing!!

 THIS was the second part of my surprise- as if a helicopter ride over your home wasn't enough? 

 My aim with the camera stinks, but you can see the top of Jason's head ;). 

 It was great being in nature!

 It's rough......

 Making Jason do all the work ;)  Hey, he wanted to be in back. 

 Hey my British hubby!  Looking good! 

 We enjoyed a few hours.......of this......what is that you ask?  PEACE!!!

 We did see one alligator!  Of course I took a few pics and none were really clear - boo! 

 More of this - PLEASE!!!

 It was fun.....

 peaceful........

 beautiful............

 Then when we came home- my sweeties made me a home made angel food cake with home made buttercream frosting!!!  YUUMMMMMYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Yes- Jason put on 40 candles- stinker.

 Yes, the cake looked like a ball of fire! 

 This is me laughing because the smoke alarm went off- just from the sheer heat of this thing!  ;) 

Me - thinking how BLESSED I AM!!!!!  The BIG 4-0 isn't so bad?  ;)


32 years ago- yesterday...........MY TESTIMONY OF HOW I AM A WALKING MIRACLE :)

..............As it is my Birthday...I thought I would share some of my testimony of my life with all of you. I grew up in a Christian Family- they are wonderful. My parents taught us from a very early age abut scripture, God's Love for us, repentance, guidance, church, friends in Christ, and sooo much more. As with all children you never realize what you have until you are older or you miss it. That is how I feel as well. I used to cringe when people said I was just like my mom....now I consider it a high compliment. (more on that maybe in a later post.)


So a big part of my life that most people don't know....unless you have heard my testimony before is that I am a cancer survivor. When I was 8! Actually a day after my birthday is when I found out. We were on a camping trip with our family. I had the urge to use the restroom.....again and again....so my parents took me to the doctor. They did tests thinking I had kidney failure. What they later found with more tests is a tumor that had shifted to leaning on my bladder.


They did a surgery a day later- 7 doctors.....14 hours later........and I was done. After a yearish of radiation therapy, hospital stays during the week, and coming home on weekends only......AND DID I MENTION LOTS AND LOTS AND LOTS AND LOTS AND LOTS AND LOTS OF PRAYERS SAID BY SOOOO MANY PEOPLE I WILL NEVER EVEN KNOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was healed- by our GREAT PHYSICIAN! I was officially pronunced cured at age 18!


This was a very difficult time for our family. My dad was a truckdriver, my 2 brothers stayed with grandparents, and we saw each other only on weekends. Very tough - on my brothers, on my parents, on me.....not to mention my dad lost his sister to cancer about 7 years prior to this happening.


My grandmother called me a "walking miracle"- which is soooo true!!! The cancer weighed a whopping 5 lbs. which for an 8 year old skinny girl was a lot! They took out anything that wasn't absolutely necessary for me to live- including all of my "female" organs, scrapped all kinds of organs, and took bits so they were triple sure to remove anything cancerous. They thought before surgery that it was benign, but discovered during surgery- it was malignant and had burst outside of itself. Making my recovery and life- A MIRACLE OF GOD!!!!


It doesn't get any better than that!!! To be born is a miracle of God!!! To be saved by HIS AMAZING Grace- another MIRACLE!!!! To be cured of cancer- ANOTHER HUGE MIRACLE!!!!!!!! What can I say- you all thought I was crazy and Blessed just because of our family, but I say everyday I am alive and can breath in and out - is a miracle Blessed By God!!!!


What can I say.....my mom was heartbroken that I would not be able to have children. She even had a crazy notion that she would have children for me.....and when she had to have a hysterectomy as well- cried her eyes out. When she told me about it.....I simply said- God has brought me this far and HE has a plan.


I remember those long days sitting and waiting for a doctors......all the time......my mom would be reading scripture, devotions, praying, and just loving every minute she had with me! I could never know exactly what she and my family went through, but I do know that God did many miracles in all of our lives through this crazy, tough, hard- financially, physically, spiritually time.


Praise God I was able to see HIS plans and when He provided my AMAZING husband who loved me - no matter what. When HE provided each one of our little Miracles- I MEAN HUGE MIRACLES!!!!!!! It just goes to show HIS GLORY even more!!!!


I mean our life is a story that no one could just think up. 2 people from different countries meet....at camp.....a girl with cancer.....survives......they marry......and adopt 9 children ....I mean who could think that up??? Not me!


But, I am BLESSED on my Birthday to remember all of the many, many, many, many miracles God has given to me....and part of my calling is to share that with as many people as possible! So I wanted to share with all of you!!!!!


Thank you for reading this incredibly long post, and please feel free to share with others my miracle or yours......you never know how it may change someone's life forever- FOR GOD!!!!!

I pray that today you are BLESSED!!!  Praying for miracles in your life to show God to others who need HIM!  So glad to be turning 38 today because that means I have experienced a miracle that most don't get.  I have been Blessed with 30 years of life after surviving cancer- ALL BECAUSE OF GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!  PRAISING HIM TODAY AND ALWAYS!!!!