Adoption is such an interesting journey and this week I thought it's time for the whole story to be typed up all in one place. This week is a big week for us with finalization tomorrow and the sealing of our family on Saturday. I can't think of a better way to celebrate than by chronicling the story of our family and the reason for this blog.
"The Timing is Right (for us) & Other Naivety"
Adoption for us really began when we married in 2002 and found out we wouldn’t be able to have biological children. Back then we weren’t ready to have any children so it was sad, of course, but the pain of infertility hadn’t really set in, yet.
Fast-forward to the fall of 2006. We decide we’re ready for children and it’s time for us to adopt. Ron asks one of his co-workers about the recent adoption of his son through LDS Family Services. We find out they waited about six months. Sounds good to us! Ron sends an email inquiry to LDS Family Services. We get an email back about where to start and we decide to jump in with both feet. At that time the adoption classes were one night per week and took six weeks to complete. We LOVED the birthparent panels, but thought it was strange that adoptive couples were hanging out a lot with birthparents. Even stranger they were hanging out at each others houses! We had a lot to learn. Our hearts had some softening to do.
September 16, 2006, I wrote in my journal, “Ron and I are so excited…it should be an interesting journey that not everyone takes.” (I got that right).
By December, 2006, we had turned in our mountain of paperwork and it was all approved including background checks. We were also online and birthmothers could look at our profile – how exciting! We sent out Christmas letters and emails telling everyone we were approved and included pass-along cards with our desire to adopt. In the back of our minds we thought, “We couldn’t be more ready to have a child, so it’s got to happen soon.” And as the months slowly passed by we began to realize just how many other families were in a similar situation trying to add children to their family. We were beginning to see that adoption isn’t about giving a baby to a childless couple, rather finding the right family for an unborn child.
Fast-forward to the fall of 2006. We decide we’re ready for children and it’s time for us to adopt. Ron asks one of his co-workers about the recent adoption of his son through LDS Family Services. We find out they waited about six months. Sounds good to us! Ron sends an email inquiry to LDS Family Services. We get an email back about where to start and we decide to jump in with both feet. At that time the adoption classes were one night per week and took six weeks to complete. We LOVED the birthparent panels, but thought it was strange that adoptive couples were hanging out a lot with birthparents. Even stranger they were hanging out at each others houses! We had a lot to learn. Our hearts had some softening to do.
September 16, 2006, I wrote in my journal, “Ron and I are so excited…it should be an interesting journey that not everyone takes.” (I got that right).
By December, 2006, we had turned in our mountain of paperwork and it was all approved including background checks. We were also online and birthmothers could look at our profile – how exciting! We sent out Christmas letters and emails telling everyone we were approved and included pass-along cards with our desire to adopt. In the back of our minds we thought, “We couldn’t be more ready to have a child, so it’s got to happen soon.” And as the months slowly passed by we began to realize just how many other families were in a similar situation trying to add children to their family. We were beginning to see that adoption isn’t about giving a baby to a childless couple, rather finding the right family for an unborn child.
I'm so glad you're writing this! It was amazing to look back at us too and realize how much we had to learn when we first started. (And we still have a lot to learn!) LOL
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to hear more!
I hope you have a happy finalization and temple day, I'm so excited for you!