As we were dating, I brought up the topic of adoption, knowing Tommy’s willingness was a make or break for our future together. Thankfully, we both wanted adoption to be a part of our future family! After almost 3 years of trying to conceive, we saw our 4th doctor, who discovered a rare condition that has caused infertility and pregnancy loss. After the news, we spent a week in prayer and fasting, asking God if we should start the adoption journey. During our church’s worship service that weekend, I felt the kindest response in my spirit from God saying, “It’s Always Been ‘Yes.'” We’ve always wanted a family and knew adoption would be a part of that story. It’s not a backup plan or an alternative to biological children. It’s always been yes!
Because of Jesus, we’re welcomed into the family of God with open arms and we have been looking forward to welcoming a child and their family into our family with open arms! Our favorite verse as a couple Is 1 John 4:7, which says, “Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.” AND IT HAPPENED! A birth family saw our profile on Friday, we got the call that they chose us on Saturday, and we met our daughter, Alora, on Tuesday. The quick turnaround in Alora’s placement, while a huge blessing, also came with some unexpected costs. We’re incredibly grateful to be partnering with Katelyn’s Fund to help cover some of our out-of-pocket expenses as we move forward in this exciting journey!
I’ve experienced God uniquely working in this process since I was a teenager when I connected with a single mom. I knew then that God placed the desire to have an open domestic adoption in my heart. After getting married and experiencing years of infertility and pregnancy loss, we prayed new prayers – starting with a week-long fast where we asked for a clear direction before pursuing adoption through praying for every family situation we’ve seen in this process for the last year and a half. We had one failed match before bringing Alora home, and God showed up in miraculous ways to guide us through the grief and disappointment and shaped our hearts more into parents after His heart. With each case, we prayed that God would either HIDE or HIGHLIGHT our profile book, and He certainly did! Alora’s birth parents saw our book and knew we were the ones they wanted to raise their daughter. We’ve learned A LOT through this journey! One thing that became more and more clear to me over the last year and a half is how much God loves each of His children. He loves the children, of course, but also the birth parents, extended families, and the people working in the agencies and filing the paperwork. He loves the amazing organizations that help make these dreams come true, and He loves adoptive parents. The beauty of humanity is that we’re made in God’s image,e and there are so many reflections of Him in the adoption process!
