Introducing Baby in the Bush's Forever Family!!!

Earlier this year on our March trip to Ghana there was a newborn baby who was abandoned to the ‘bush’ in Asikuma - the village where we do our work. The Lord had us there at just the right place and time, and we were able to eventually get the baby into Kwahu Orphanage and on the adoption track. You can read the story HERE and the last update I posted on him HERE.

I now I sit here with goosebumps, and a flood of emotion that threatens to burst out in gigantic happy tears. Because, today I get the joy of continuing to show you the beauty of adoption… I can now introduce you to baby in the bush’s forever family. :) Before I do, there is more news that you didn’t know yet. You may remember from my original post, that baby in the bush had an older brother – around 2 years old. His name was Ishmael. Here he is…

Well, a few weeks after baby in the bush’s birthmother had relinquished her baby into the care of CompAfriCare (one of the NGO's our Foundation works with in Ghana) to be adopted, we found out that she had decided to also give the older brother, Ishmael, in adoption. I truly felt in my heart that this was the right decision in light of her desperate situation. By that point, baby in the bush had already been matched with a family to adopt him, so they had a decision to make. Would they be able to adopt Ishmael too and keep the brothers together? Indeed, it was meant to be. They went forward with the adoption of both boys, and just last week their adoption case PASSED COURT in Ghana!!!!!!!!!! They now await the official adoption decree and then can ‘fly and file’ their I-600 form in Ghana (which is what Jake did for our adoption case back in August). They are just a few months/steps right behind our own adoption process.

Here's a little background on the forever family...they, Erin (mom) and Kyle (dad) have two children, both girls. The girls are Killian (going on 4 years old) and Keegan (going on 2 years old). You will see the girls in the pictures because Erin and Kyle brought them with on their trip to Ghana back in July so they could meet their brothers. I know – these people are ROCKSTARS let me tell ya!!!!! By the way, they live in Michigan. Erin is a veterinarian and Kyle is an ecologist turned stay-at-home-dad. I will be posting their side of the adoption story on Monday.

Erin and Kyle have also given the boys new names, and I wanted to share the background on those since I will be referring to them by their new names now. Here is the explanation of how they decided on the names via Erin:

“We are naming the baby, Ewan, and Ishy we will add the name Fynn to. Fynn is Ghanaian for "from the Offin River", which he actually is (even though we came up with the name before we knew that). And Ewan is a celtic name, like everyone in our family has, but we also liked it since he is from the Ewe people. We wanted to combine our own Irish heritage with their Ghanaian heritage, and these names seemed to do that.  Our girls have animal middle names...Killian Adelie (Adelie is a species of penguin) and Keegan Kodiak (for bear). The boys full names will be:

~Ewan Osono _____ Horan-Turner (Osono is Ghanaian for elephant)
 

~Fynn Agama Ishmael Horan-Turner (Agama Agama is the rainbow lizard...those cool guys you see running around Ghana).”

The ____  on Ewan's name is still in the decision making process.  I love all the thought that has gone into the boys' names.  Erin has said that they are really into names in their family, so now I know why God kept bugging me about 'baby in the bush' going to the orphanage without a name.  There is always a reason for even the little things! :)

Alright, here we go!  Here are just a few of the awesome pictures from Kyle and Erin’s two-week trip that they took to Ghana to meet their sons...

One happy momma with one blessed baby. :)

Formerly known as ‘baby in the bush’. Now known as Ewan.

Lookin’ good and strong buddy!  Ewan is now 6 months old!

And here is Daddy Kyle with baby Ewan…

Now, I know what you’re thinking, and yes, Jake and I thought the same thing.  Daddy Kyle looks a bit like Jesus. How fitting. :)

Momma with Fynn (formerly known as Ishmael) and daughter Keegan.

Fynn hiding out with sister Killian

I also just wanted to interject a neat little story here that Erin had told me...

"When we told Killian (age 3) about Ewan and talked to her about if she would be happy with a baby brother (since we had been telling her for months that we would be getting her a brother around her size and she was so prepared for this) she kept saying, "Yes, we should get him. A little brother for Keegan. And we can get a big brother for me." We kept trying to explain, "no just one brother this time. You guys have to share a brother." And then when we found out about Fynn she laughed and said that she always knew we were getting two brothers, a big brother and a little brother.

I loved your post about how Justice squashed your fears of worrying about if he would impact your bio kids. So true! The kids are SO good about it. Our girls acted like Fynn and Ewan had always been their brothers. It was amazing to watch, especially Killian who is unbelievably shy, to the point you could classify it as social anxiety. Within a few hours, she was holding hands with Fynn, playing soccer with him, laughing with him. It was good for my heart to see."

Dad with Ewan and daughter Killian

Fynn with his sisters

Sister love

It is striking to me how alive and vibrant Fynn has become. We didn’t see this side of him when we met him in Asikuma. It gives me such peace in my heart to see him this way…..I am overjoyed that he gets a happy ending too.

Looking at pictures of himself and his brother…

They also worked in a trip to one of Ghana's beautiful beaches!

One of my favorites…cried happy tears when I saw this one the first time…an expression of trust and contentment in his momma’s arms…

Fynn, Keegan, Ewan, Killian = SIBLINGS!!!

Ewan. NEVER will I forget those eyes.

Fynn. So handsome I can hardly handle it!

Brothers. Forever.

♥  ♥

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

~Jeremiah 29:11~