A little more of Adria's adoption story

Just wanted to share a little more of our journey to adopt Adria. Our home study was approved on April 13. We had family pictures scheduled for May as the girls turned 6 and 4. We planned to put the finishing touches on our profile book after we got those pictures and then print the profile books and be a waiting family. HOWEVER-after our home study was done there was a situation with a little boy that we sent pictures to CAS to show to the birth parents. Things did not work out with that situation, but after that we wanted birth parents to see the profile book I had been working on for years, so we finished one book up using some of the pictures we had taken last May. We sent that book to CAS, before it got there we had another situation come up with a little boy and sent more pictures to be shown to the birth parents, but that situation again did not work out. Let me say this, adoption is SO hard and such an emotional journey and investment, but this time around we believe that we had grown in our faith having gone through what we did losing our dear brother-in-law. This experience changed our lives and gave us a whole new perspective about God's plans and God's will. We were disappointed that those situations did not work, but knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that God would have the right child for our family at the right time and trusted that (well most of the time! :))

We were so blessed by the fundraisers and grants we received and God was really putting everything into place quickly. On Friday May 4 we heard about a baby very briefly, but did not think it would work out. We had family pictures taken which turned out amazing and I was so excited to add them into the profile book! Then on May 7 we got more information on a this baby girl and set up to talk to the birth mother on the phone on May 8. I was very cautious about this, probably doing this job has made me jaded, but I have seen so many unique adoption situations and we were so hurt in our last adoption journey that I was protecting myself from that emotional pain again. We talked with this very special lady on May 8 and knew that she had signed the papers that day. We heard more about this baby girl, and of course loved her cautiously from that moment on. We decided not to tell anyone, but after a couple days needed to start planning a trip so told family and a few close friends. We were sad that we could not take the girls with us, as the baby was in the NICU and the girls would not have been allowed to be in there.

We left for North Carolina on May 14 and drove all day the 14th and 15th. We arrived in North Carolina on May 15 knowing that we could have to turn around and go back home without a baby. That night we were sleep deprived, emotional, and so very worried. We went to eat at Olive Garden and I don't think even talked to each other the whole meal, and I was very close to a complete breakdown missing the girls and just again so worried about everything. Ryan told our waitress that we were hoping to adopt a baby and get her the next day, the waitress brought us our check and told us she thought what we were doing was great and gave us a gift card. I started to cry and it was one of those moments where God just slaps you to say "TRUST ME I HAVE A PLAN"

We were in a different place in North Carolina than with the girls so it was a new place, but on Wednesday the days to change minds were up and we got to skype to watch Aniah's TK program at school, and then we went to the hospital, went into the NICU and walked up to a little crib and saw the smallest most beautiful little girl in the whole world. Adria Fayth was planned to be our 3rd daughter and we loved her from the mintue we heard about her and love her so very much.

For the last couple of years when we talked about adopting again we said we would specify a boy. On our way to our first home study meeting we discussed this and realized again that we DO NOT pick but God gets to pick our child and if God has another girl for us we would be thrilled. Having heard about only boys before her, we were a little bit thinking, boy. But of course the minute we heard girl we were so excited. We know girls and love our girls so much! I am just in awe of how God has chosen 3 girls to be in our family. The only thing I said was WHOA I am really going to be doing a LOT of hair!

Adria spent 17 days in the NICU and we spent every moment we could with her from Wednesday- Sunday in the NICU. It gave us a whole new appreciation for parents of those little blessings. Adria was under 5 lbs. when we got there, and yesterday we went to the doctor and she is 6lbs. 3 oz. She is growing so good and is really just the PERFECT child for our family.

We are so blessed and know God had all of this planned. Adria is a blessing! Adria's birth mother and us both had chosen the middle name of Fayth.

We had a great time in North Carolina and were blessed by the hospital staff and agency staff. We missed the girls terribly and missed Aniah's programs at school and end of school as well as her 6th birthday, but they were in great hands with my cousin and our parents. Things went very quickly and we are thankful for that. We are thankful to her amazing birth mother and pray for her to have the strength to deal with her grief and loss.

Aniah and Eden LOVE their baby sister and are doing great!! It will be an adjustment for all of us!

GOD IS GOOD!