Adriana and Norm Share Their Marriage Story and Their Fostering To Adopt Journey
PART I
Episode 05 is a 3 part series featuring Adriana and Norm Schisler from Southern California. Our featured couple share their background's, the pattern of God calling them to wait on Him and the reminder that it is always for His glory and for our good.
His ways are higher than our ways (Isaiah 55:8-9), so when what we’re feeling led to do or not do and it doesn’t make any earthly sense Adriana and Norm encourage us to remember He's working and He is faithful. We are called to simply trust and obey His perfect, master plan for our lives and other’s too.
Adriana and Norm also touch on their marriage story and share how the Lord has called them to foster to adopt 3 babies all under the age of 3 within the last 2 years. Plus, we have some exciting news to celebrate with them this month! Stay tuned.
Adriana and Norm’s story really spoke to me as I was listening to them share their story. For those who are confused why God calls us to wait, it’s usually that He is preparing us for something far greater and this is a great reminder for that.
Summary of part 1: The first few minutes start with how they met, and what they first thought of each other and how they both came to realize they had feelings for each other.
Minute 11:00 Norm shares, “We heard how clear the Lord had put it on our hearts to wait a year, but it wasn’t clear why. It was one of those steps of obedience.” After a year of non romantic ties, it wasn’t a matter of “if” we’re going to get married it was “when”.
16:20 we hear more about a career change and how their marriage survived two year’s of long distance and how it actually strengthened their marriage and communication, yet realize it was something unique to their marriage and wouldn’t recommend it to every couple.
19:35 adoption talk begins.
PART II
Adriana and Norm honestly open up about the process of fostering to adopt and give great information for any couple feeling led to possibly do this one day. They also share some of the difficulties they’ve come across in the process, going through county, the weeding out process, questions in the home study and how they realized how you were raised is going to play a huge role in the way you parent.
“Take care of yourself first so you can take care of these kids”.
This process can unearth things you may have never even known or talked about as a couple. Thinking about the way you were raised helps to give a different perspective on parenting as a whole and explains why you are the way you are. And it’s encouraging to hear what they’ve gone through has strengthened their marriage and they have made the most of it, creating fun memories along the rigorous, long path toward becoming parents.
PART III
Part three starts with Norm sharing more about the restrictions while fostering. But he reassures that the hoops are worth it and understands there are reasons why they have rules in place.
Adriana and Norm share more on how the Lord brought them their 3 children and to keep with the real and raw that is marriage, minute 7:45-8:15 you’ll hear some dog interruptions, we’ll call it the blooper reel.
The main purpose in foster care is reunification — fostering is really meant to just be a home for them in between while parents are trying to clean up. They try everything before going to adoption.
19:00 how the role of parenting gives you the perspective of being adopted into the Kingdom and how the Father loves us, and the verse on Norms heart “I predestined you for adoption” — “God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure'“ Ephesians 1:5.
The book they recommend to any foster or foster to adopt parent is
What to Expect When Expecting.
