Our Adoption Story
Our family has been built through birth and adoption. Our son is a born of the body baby and our daughter was born in our hearts. In 2006 we felt God leading us towards adoption. It was always something we talked about and being surrounded by several adoptive families in our church, we felt comfortable with one day adopting. On Easter Sunday in 2006, our pastor's wife spoke about sponsoring a child from Africa. Tears started streaming down my face as I listened to her speak. All she was asking was for families to spend about $35 a month to help children with basic needs. To help support children who were orphaned. Little did we know that a seed was being planted. That's when we started pursuing it.
Having biological children wasn't a huge priority for us. We had Miles biologically and knew we would like to have more children, but how they came to us wasn't that important. Through several miscarriages, it was confirmation to us that adoption was how our family would grow.
By October of 2007 we were certified Foster Parents in the state of Texas. We had submitted our homestudy to over 30 different cities and states looking to adopt children who needed homes, or so we thought. To make a long story short, we had a social worker who lied to us and was not advocating for us like we were told. Through the hurt and anger, we began to consider other options. Or should I say, we went back to the seed that God had planted in us.
In January of 2008, we applied to Children's Hope International. Ethiopia was were our daughter was and we were sure of it. The excitement grew as we became closer and closer to submitting our dossier (adoption paperwork). Through our journey, we felt divine confirmation that we were doing the right thing. The wait was not easy. Actually, it was the hardest thing we have ever done or experience. There was doubt, like no doubt we had ever experienced before. There was anger, like no anger we'd had before. There was frustration. But in the end, there was nothing but Joy. A joy like we had never, ever experienced before. The amount of love and joy we share and have experienced is beyond measure. It's profound. To listen to a calling and to be persistent and obey can bring such a peace. We thank God for adoption and how it led us to Marley!
Having biological children wasn't a huge priority for us. We had Miles biologically and knew we would like to have more children, but how they came to us wasn't that important. Through several miscarriages, it was confirmation to us that adoption was how our family would grow.
By October of 2007 we were certified Foster Parents in the state of Texas. We had submitted our homestudy to over 30 different cities and states looking to adopt children who needed homes, or so we thought. To make a long story short, we had a social worker who lied to us and was not advocating for us like we were told. Through the hurt and anger, we began to consider other options. Or should I say, we went back to the seed that God had planted in us.
In January of 2008, we applied to Children's Hope International. Ethiopia was were our daughter was and we were sure of it. The excitement grew as we became closer and closer to submitting our dossier (adoption paperwork). Through our journey, we felt divine confirmation that we were doing the right thing. The wait was not easy. Actually, it was the hardest thing we have ever done or experience. There was doubt, like no doubt we had ever experienced before. There was anger, like no anger we'd had before. There was frustration. But in the end, there was nothing but Joy. A joy like we had never, ever experienced before. The amount of love and joy we share and have experienced is beyond measure. It's profound. To listen to a calling and to be persistent and obey can bring such a peace. We thank God for adoption and how it led us to Marley!
Referral Day
