Adoption Story: Daniel and Mae

Saying "yes" to God when He leads you down the path of adoption usually means saying "yes" to a journey filled with some twists and turns you could never have imagined. Sometimes the twists and turns bring with them beautiful surprises. Sometimes they bring with them unknowns and completely different scenery than you anticipated journeying through. But for Daniel and Mae, saying "yes" to adoption meant saying "yes" to trusting God, whatever twists and turns would come along the way.

Daniel and Mae started with their consultant way back in July of 2012. Right away they had a happy bend in the road. They put their adoption plans on hold when they found out that Mae was pregnant. Fast forward about two years later. Daniel and Mae renewed their homestudy and were ready to follow wherever God led them. 

They applied to agencies in July of 2014 and about a month later, they got the call that they had been praying for. They were matched! A brave woman had chosen them to be the parents of her baby boy, a little guy who was due in the winter. 

As they waited for the months to pass, more twists in the road kept coming; some unknowns, including some potential health concerns for the baby and the possibility of a NICU stay, loomed on the horizon. This was not what they had expected to encounter along their way. They prayed, they sought counsel from others, and ultimately they trusted God, knowing He had led them down the bumpy path exactly where they were walking.

Then, a month before their son's due date, they got another call-a huge exciting turn in the road; their son was about to be born...a month early! They rushed to make arrangements and headed to meet him, praying for him all along the way. All of the unknowns, all of the bumps and twists and uncertain terrain had led them straight to that day. Healthy and happy, this little guy ended up NOT needing a NICU stay at all!

He spent his due date at home with his daddy and mommy and siblings, being loved and adored. And all of those twists and turns along the road to their son? Mae shared with me, "I want people to hear God's story of purpose, redemption, and healing through our son's story! Our son ended up in our family from the Lord's clear leading."

The road of adoption is rarely straight but there is One who knows where He's leading. And wherever He leads, we can be sure He will be there with us all along the way!

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Eddie and Anna: Finalization Day

Near the end of the summer, Eddie and Anna welcomed their son through a beautiful whirlwind adoption. You can read about their amazing story here. I am still brought to tears as I think about God's miraculous work as He answered such specific prayer requests in their adoption journey! Recently they celebrated the finalization of their little guy's adoption and shared these pictures, amazing video, and kind words with me about their experience.

Anna shares:

"You know those moments where an overwhelming peace takes over and you can't help but smile because you know you got it right? That's exactly how I felt when I first talked with Katie. It was clear that... would be the path that would lead us to one of the biggest blessings we have ever received."

"As we traveled the adoption journey, Katie was more than an adoption consultant; she was our friend, our biggest cheerleader, our voice of reason, a true testament of unwavering faith. I often return to an old email or text message from Katie to relive the moments that led us to where we are now.  I have no doubt that God used Katie in our lives to only help guide us to our beautiful son, but also to strengthen our faith in Him. We will be forever grateful for the example she provided, for the guidance that kept us going, and the expertise that helped us make decisions along the way. I am in awe of God's plan and so grateful that He led us to Katie. We are absolutely in love with our little man. It doesn’t seem real. He’s too good to be true, but that’s what God does!"

Congratulations, Eddie and Anna. You're right! God loves to do immeasurably more than we could even imagine!

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Happy Finalization!

You may remember me posting about CJ and Andrea's miracle story a couple of months ago. They recently sent me these BEAUTIFUL pictures of their happy finalization day and shared a bit about their adoption journey! Andrea shares in her own words below...

"We recently adopted with the help of Tracie Loux and Katie Fenska. We had never heard of an adoption consultant before starting the adoption process, but the way we discovered... was too much of a God thing to not give it a look." 

"After speaking with our local adoption agency, who said it would take us at least two years to be matched given the fact that we have three biological children, and looking at ... statistics, we decided that their services would be well worth the money in the long run." 

"As first time adoptive parents, their support and encouragement as we navigated through this new and confusing process was such a blessing."

"And that two year wait? We started our process at the beginning of April 2014 and had our sweet boy in our arms on June 27 2014."

Congratulations to your sweet family! It was such a privilege to watch God's beautiful ways unfold in your adoption journey!

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For more information on domestic adoption, contact me!

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An Adoption Story: Mark and Amber

Mark and Amber came to their adoption consultant in May, already very worn from waiting. Nine years of waiting to become parents together and six months of that time spent waiting with a local agency where they were not having their profile shown. Understandably, they were tired and beginning to feel hopeless. But the God of hope was not done with their story.

Using our multi-agency approach, they started presenting their profile to expectant mothers, beginning to feel hope rise. And then, one month after signing on they got the call that they had been chosen!

For the next four months, Mark and Amber invested their very hearts in the man and woman who had chosen them...spending time with them, building a relationship with them, and praying for them. As is often the case with adoption, it was not without difficulty or tears. Waiting to be matched is a hard thing.  But sometimes the unknowns while you wait for that child to be born can be even more challenging.

Amber writes:

"As much as I trusted him, at times I was overcome with fear and doubt. "What if's" crept in and I could barely put one foot in front of the other. It's so easy to trust when you see the end picture but when adversity comes your way you question things. Thankfully, our God is so much bigger and more faithful than the what if's and questions because he loves us, provides for us, and works for our good."

Mark and Amber held on to the God of hope, believing that He was there with them. And then one day in September, their beautiful daughter was born.

Amber shares:

"I could write a book about the amazing providential things that occurred throughout our journey to know our daughter. I can still barely wrap my mind around it all. I am finally a Mommy and not just any Mommy, but a Mommy to an amazing child who God predestined and entrusted to us.  Oh how I have longed for that title, Praise God!"

Years of waiting. Countless prayers. And hope in a God that did not disappoint. Praise God indeed!

(Photos courtesy of Lizvette Wreath Photography)

For more information on domestic adoption, contact me!

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Adoption Story: Matt and Laura

Matt and Laura's adoption journey has been a beautiful story of God's faithfulness. They had some ideas about how they thought their story might unfold, but they were committed to being open to whatever plans God had for them. They wanted His way and not their own. And His ways, as they often are, were surprising and beautiful!

In February, Matt and Laura got started with their adoption and I got to know this sweet couple as I began working on their adoption profile book. Their gratitude towards God for adopting them into His family was so evident. And so was their desire to follow His leading in their adoption journey, whatever that looked like. 

They were home-study ready near the end of June and then, less than a month later, they heard about a baby boy that would be born soon. His brave birthparents were making an adoption plan. It was a complicated situation and the details were different than what they'd envisioned...there would be sacrifice involved...a NICU stay...they would miss the first day of school for their other 4 littles ones. But Matt and Laura prayed and prayed, wanting to follow however God led. And He led them to put their "yes" on the table. They were chosen and less than a month later, their precious son was in their arms!

Laura spent many weeks away from home while they loved on their sweet son in the NICU. Adoption is not easy and the raw depth of emotions involved in a NICU stay can be so very difficult. But Matt and Laura clung to God's faithfulness and knew that their son was worth it. Here are a couple of Laura's texts to me in the long, hard days in the NICU:

"God is so faithful! God provides, and when we feel discouraged He gives us glimpses of His vast love for us if we are just willing to see them. It is just a long and hard process, but it's what we have to go through to get this precious gift healthy and home!"

"I pray that through this journey Christ's grace has shone through. I have surely been weak at times, but ultimately, because of God's grace I see His beautiful love for me as His adopted child."

"It has been amazing and beautiful and heart wrenching. I'm so thankful that God brought us on this journey."

Matt and Laura, it has been such an honor to watch you follow God's leading in your adoption journey. I am in awe of His perfect plans for your beautiful family!

For more information on domestic adoption, contact me!

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Congratulations, Bob and Angela!

Bob and Angela started with their adoption consultant in March and were eager to begin! I had the opportunity to assist this sweet couple and I was able to get to know them right away through creating their profile book. Their home study was ready on June 2 and then they immediately got started applying with agencies.

They began putting their hearts on the line, presenting to potential situations and eagerly waiting for their "yes" to come. After dreaming for years about a baby, they were so ready for the difficult wait to be over.

And then, a little less than two months after they applied to agencies, they got the call that would change their lives forever. They were chosen and the baby was coming soon! About three weeks after that, the daughter that they had long dreamed of was finally in their arms. And she is truly their dream come true!

For information about domestic adoption, please contact me!

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Adoption Story: Adam and Audra!

God always is doing more behind the scenes than we know. His ways are often so mysterious but He is always at work. Adam and Audra's adoption story is another example of His perfect plans unfolding in His perfect timing.

My husband "just happened" to be talking with another pastor in the area and "just happened" to mention the option of using an adoption consultant. That pastor "just happened" to be Adam and Audra's pastor and he "just happened" to pass along my contact info to them. In October last year, Audra and I got together to talk about life and adoption and in December they started with their consultant, planning to one day adopt a baby boy.

What they hoped would be a relatively quick home-study process ended up taking more time than planned...it didn't make sense and it wasn't easy. But God was working behind the scenes. On July 16 they heard about a situation and that same day their home-study was ready! They hadn't originally intended on applying to this specific agency, but they decided to go ahead and apply with them and present. It seemed perfect! But it was not the child God had for them. It didn't make sense, but God was working behind the scenes.

For the next couple weeks, Adam and Audra spent time really seeking God. He spoke very directly to their hearts about being open to whatever He had for them. And then they heard about another situation from the same agency. A little girl was going to be born soon. God's ways are often mysterious, but He is always at work. They presented. They were chosen.

Almost a month after they had applied with the agency they never intended to apply with in the first place, their daughter was born!

His perfect plans unfolded in His perfect timing. And now, Adam and Audra look at their two beautiful daughters and see what God was doing behind the scenes all that time!

For more information about adoption, please email me!

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