Mark and Tracy's Adoption Story: God Wasn't Finished

Goodness, this is a story that MUST be told regardless of the fact that I'm posting it late. (I had this ready about a year ago and somehow, it accidentally never got posted. Oops!) I know you'll agree it's a must-read as soon as you see it. This couple had completely given up hope on ever adopting, but God...

Professional photos by Times to Treasure Photography.

Mark and Tracy got started on June 2014. It took a while for them to get going with their home study but in December of 2014 they were ready and began to present their profile to expectant mamas. They had one disappointing "no" after another. My heart was breaking for them and they were growing so weary. They finally decided they couldn't do it any more and told me not to send them any further adoption situations. They just couldn’t bear to hear another “No.” What they weren’t aware of was that a particular agency had simply fallen in love with them and was bound and determined to help this couple become parents no matter what!

One day, that agency called me about a certain expectant mom they were working with who they thought would absolutely LOVE Mark and Tracy. But I knew their hearts were so tender and they would be further crushed if they heard another “no" so I explained that to the agency. The agency decided the best approach (though extremely unusual) would be for the agency to show Mark and Tracy’s profile to the expectant mama without talking to them about it. That way, if she didn't choose them, they wouldn't have to experience more heartbreak. Tracy recounts the story below:

Every story has three things. It has a character, who wants something and has to go through adversity or difficulty to get it.

Mark and I are the characters in this story and journey called adoption. We started on this journey with, what we thought was a, realistic view on how quickly we could adopt a baby. We heard stories of people being home study approved and holding their newborn within three months. Well that was not realistic for us. We know now every adoption story is different and every adoption story is its own unique journey.

We had one NO after another. I stopped counting after 11...

We prayed and fell in love with each of the expectant moms we presented to and their precious babies they were carrying. Time after time, God was saying “NO."

I took it as, “No. You are not good enough."

My heart broke every time we got an email back saying, "The birth mom connected to another couple.” I was so angry that I cried myself to sleep many many nights because I thought God was shutting these doors and not opening any.

There was one day I came home and there was a pacifier on our driveway that was blue and said "little prince." Well I took it as a sign thinking the next little boy is ours! Once again that was not the case. Katie (our consultant) later told us, “You can't think of anything as a sign in adoption" and it is so true.

Well, we reached a point where we had had it!!  We were angry and sad and every emotion in between. After numerous NO's we stopped presenting. I told Katie we are going to work with DCS and we were going to adopt older kids. We thought that would have been easier and quicker which, once again, was not the case.

God what do you want from us?!?!  Why are we not good enough to be parents?!?!  Our anger and plea's were desperate for God to answer our prayers of having a family.

Our story finally took a turn for what we thought was the better when we got a call from one of our best friends who knew about a sweet baby girl fighting for her life and needing a family. We didn't care what kind of health problems she would possibly have, we wanted to save baby M. As time went on, her health declined and she fought a hard fight and at 4 months old heaven gained an angel.

Our hearts were shredded. I mean destroyed. Why did God allow this to happen to an innocent child?!??  She will always be a part of our life and family and story.

One week to the day we found about M, our lives literally changed forever. In the lowest of lows in my life I get a text from Katie saying,“Hey, I need to talk to you and Mark, please call me tonight.” I got home and told him, "Katie wants us to call her." We both looked at each other and said, “She is going to try to get us back in the game and present again. NOPE!"... Like I said we were done.  So we reluctantly dialed the number and we put her on speaker phone.  The first words out of her mouth….."YOU GUYS ARE MATCHED”!?!?!  At the same time we both said, "WHAT?!?! " We thought it was a cruel joke and she had the wrong couple!  We had not presented to an expectant mom in like 4 months. How was this possible?!?! As it sunk in of what she was saying I lost it. (In Mark's words I ugly cried. I mean the cry where you can't catch your breath!) October 20th at 5 pm will be a memory forever etched in my mind as one of the best days of my life. I would not have wanted this any other way. With us not knowing, they were presenting our profile. We got to be surprised! I feel as though this is the feeling you would have when you take the test and see the positive sign of being pregnant. The crazy JOY and EXCITEMENT we had-there are no words. Mark could not stop laughing!

It was all worth it. The struggle the anger the pain it was all worth it. God was not telling us “No,” he really was telling us "Not yet.  I have something greater!"  And boy, did he!

We have been blessed with a birth mom that leaves me speechless!  She is an amazingly incredible woman that wanted a better life for her baby boy than what she could give and provide. She is a beautiful soul with dreams. She will never know what kind of gift she has given Mark and I. She and her two little girls have become family for us.  We love them with the love of God.

January 19, 2016 at 12:49pm we welcomed our son into this world. God heard our hearts desire to be parents and he answered our prayers. We are so in love with this sweet child God blessed us with.

1 Samuel 1:27
For this child I have prayed and the Lord has granted me the desires of my heart.

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