This Adoption Was Different Than Our First

Guest blog from Adoptive Mom, Hope

This beautiful little guy is our second adoption, and I can truly say no two adoptions are alike.

The second time around, I felt confident that I had realistic expectations and much more patience than the first time. About six months in, I was faced with the fact that I had actually expected to be matched by then, and I no longer had patience.

We had heard so many “no’s” that it felt defeating.

God walked with me through that and helped me turn my eyes on Him.

He graciously worked in my heart. His plans are far greater than mine, and I needed to be reminded of that.

I prayed for patience, and I prayed that I would not waste the precious time we had left as a family of just three.

We worked with a consultant who was a constant flow of encouragement, wisdom, and prayer. My husband and I leaned hard on her advice and input. One of my prayers was that we would have another match that resulted in a quick birth and placement, just like our first one.

When our son’s situation came through, it came with a few unknowns.

Some of those unknowns had, in fact, convinced us to pass on many situations previously.

This one felt different.

My husband, always calm and steady in his decisions, knew immediately we should go for it despite the unknowns.

So, we presented.

That same evening we received a call that the birth mother wanted to speak to us on the phone the following day. This was not an experience we were granted with our first adoption, so this was new and intimidating.

Again, God led the way. We felt an immediate connection with her, and I just kept thinking about how kind and loving she seemed. It was hours after that call that she chose us, and four days later, she gave birth to her son, who became ours.

It was the whirlwind of crazy to realize that which we had prayed for. It took so long to get to this “fast” moment.

The most surreal, loving, and memorable part of gaining another son was when his birth mother handed him to me herself. There was so much love and sacrifice in her heart, and it made my heart ache even through the joy.

We spent the next day in a hospital room next to hers. I had the opportunity to speak with her one on one a handful of times. Those conversations are precious memories I will share with my son one day. Without a doubt, she loves this little boy with her whole heart. We feel honored to be chosen to be his parents. He is an answer to our prayers. His big brother dotes on him and has a very special bond with him already.