How We Came To Be A Family of Three...

One of the most frequent questions we are asked is how we came to adopt, it is a fairly long answer but here is the short version.
God told us to.

Let me back up a little.  When I was little I always knew I wanted to be a Mom.  As I hit my teen years I had a plan - I would meet the love of my life while in High School, work while he went to college, get married when he graduated and start having babies.  By my plan I would become a Mother at about age 21 or 22.  Well, that didn't happen.

I didn't meet the love of my life until I was out of college (that's another long story) and we didn't get married until I was 26.  We decided to wait a few years before trying to start a family.  Again, it was my plan and I could adjust it as I wanted to.  Then, that didn't happen.
Will we ever adopt again - it isn't out of the question.  We will wait for another "Sign From God" to be sure...

When I was 29, after just a few months of trying I was diagnosed as infertile.  With one simple test done in his office he informed me that we had about a 5% change of naturally conceiving a child.  He referred us to a specialist, who, after 8 months of treatments told us that other than IVF, he didn't know what else to do. He didn't know why we had not yet conceived.  (Just a note, we had decided long before this that IVF was not an option for us.  He knew our feelings on this, and respected that.  Nothing against IVF, we just knew that was not the path or choice for us.) This was in the spring of 2007.

We waited and prayed for over a year for God to show us what HE wanted us to do. We had always planned on adding to our family through adoption at some point, but we didn't know when.  So for us, adoption was always on the table. 

 I must confess here, I don't want us to come across as the perfect Christian couple.  There were a lot of heated discussions between the two of us and me and God.  To be frank - I was angry at God for a while.  I didn't understand why He would give us this strong desire to have children then not fulfill that desire.  I even prayed that if it was His will to take that desire from me.  That didn't happen. As time went on the desire grew stronger and stronger.  I started to specifically pray that God would give Steve a sign that now is the time.

On August 10, 2008 we had what we called "A Sign From God", and knew it was time.  In September 2008 we completed the preliminary forms to adopt from South Korea, and in April 2009 we completed the full application.  In September 2009 we completed our home study and were matched with Buddy on May 16, 2010.  Buddy then came home to us on September 4, 2010.  And I can't remember what it was like without him in our life!


If you have questions about adoption, please feel free to send me a message at
foodinthebarrenland@gmail.com

This Lady...

This lady -
Loves me
Loves her husband
Loves my husband like her own son

Loves my child.  (adores might be a better word)

She is always there for us, cooks amazing Sunday (or Saturday) dinners -
Always willing to help, always willing to listen. 
Would drop everything in a moments notice if we need her
Has my little guy wrapped around his finger. 

Is fiercely protective of her family, and has taught me to be the same.

This Lady - is my Mom. And today we celebrate her.

Happy Birthday Mom! I am so blessed that you are my  Mom!