Most Useless Household Applicance:
The Alarm Clock!
On April 1st my life radically changed forever. Not only have I never needed an alarm clock since, but I am a Dad now. That’s right. I now am up very early every morning to feed, change and love on a little baby boy named Luke Given Bastian.
Didn’t know we were pregnant? We weren’t! We became parents overnight with no warning or preparation time. I waited to blog it here for two weeks while we worked out the details and made sure it was going to happen. But to make a long story short, we found ourselves on April 1st temporary guardians of a little boy in need of a home. By April 5th we were legal guardians, and on Easter Sunday the mother gave us her final decision to allow us to adopt him.
While the adoption won’t be final for some time due to the legal process and some significant challenges there that need prayer, with the birth mother’s consent this week we are officially “Mom and Dad” of this precious little boy.
Humor us by enjoying some pictures…
Luke, the day we took him home.
Happy dad with new baby!
Happy Mom with sleeping baby.
A new room all ready to fill with baby stuff!
(Pastor’s Karl home office got moved to the basement!)
Hey! Where’s my sock?
I love to laugh!
Making sure Pastor Karl doesn’t get much sleep!
Karl feeding Sara while she feeds baby Luke!
Aren’t I just the cutest thing you ever saw??
…is that food?
Karl makes me laugh A LOT!
For family and friends, or others, who might be interested in more information on Baby Luke and his adoption process, I have set up a special e-mail address lukegiven @ pastorkarl.com that you can write to and request to be on the Baby Luke Updates list. I don’t want to bog the blog down with all that info, but we have a growing list of people who want more info and want to be a part of this miracle through praying for us during the complicated and expensive legal process that lies ahead. This is a Faith Adventure and we invite you to join us!! But for now, PRAISE GOD with us for an answer to over ten years of prayer for a child.
What a beautiful gift from God!
Congratulations!!!!!! You will both be amazing parents!
My eyes welled up with tears as I read this blog! I am so happy for you. I agree with the previous comment, you two will be incredible parents!
Thanks! As I read on another blog recently, “God loves each of us as if there were only one of us to love.” I understand that even more today.
CONGRATULATIONS!
We are so happy and excited for you. One of the main couples in our church’s children’s ministry are foster parents. They recently adopted two little girls…and we got to live the experience as they went through the whole process. So yes, we will definately be in prayer for you! Our God is an awesome God and baby Luke is very blessed to have such wonderful parents. God bless you!
Karl and Sara,
I’m so excited for you both and am so happy to have my nephew four doors down. Now I can spoil him rotten and send him home. I can’t wait and look forward to the many years of memories with our kids. EEEEEeeeeeeeeeeeeee!! I’m so excited to write that, OUR KIDS.
Love you guys soooo much!!
Luke’s Aunt Meepa
I am still crying…man I’m a big sap! PLUS-we love you guys to pieces and we are THRILLED to see you embark on this journey together with Baby Luke. We’ll keep praying for you guys! I love the picture of him in his new room-it made me giggle! What a cutie!!!
Wow a HUGE congratulations!
Karl, what a blessing you have!!!
When was he born??? How old was he when you took him home?
From one brand new Dad to another!! God Bless, and sweet dreams (no matter how short)
Dave.
My husband asked me to ask you this all important question… When Luke is old enough to watch Star Wars, will you start him on Episode 1 or Episode 4??? I expect that I know the answer to this question, but will wait to hear your answer…
CONGRATULATIONS! Luke is the cutest baby ever!
Catie
OH God! This is great! The baby is so precious…CongratulationS!
You made me cry with the pics!
Natalia
Why am I so far away from all you?
Karl, as soon as Melissa told me things were definite, I was almost in tears. But then seeing the pictures with you and Sara with the little man, the flowed. God is so good even during the wierdest circumstances, the ones we just look at Him and go “huh?”. I think it’s so neat Luke was born with you both in mind. That’s the awesome part. He was made just for you 2 to raise in God’s service. Congratulations. Hugs and kisses to Sara and Luke, you just get a big hug! :)
Karl
Congratulations! God is so good! Man! I cried buckets as I read your blog!
What is amazing is that when Luke was being designed and formed, God designed Sara and you to be Luke’s parents all those years ago! We are so excited for you! We rejoice with you! Chad is super excited and keeps telling everyone about Luke! He prayed for all three of you last night. We will continue to pray. You guys are going to make awesome parents.
Love and Hugs to all of you!
Your friend
Kal (and Chad too!)
Karl and Sara We loved the video and the pictures. We’re sitting here in SpringfiELD WAITING TO GO INTO THE LINCOLN MUSEUM. I’m crying watching the pictures. It was great to spend Easter with you. We love you and will keep praying!!! Enjoy every hour and each day!!!! Love, Aunt Linda, Uncle Wilson, Lindsay and Andy xoxoxo