Our Story (How we got Thing One and Thing Two)

We met in college, dated through undergrad and got married before graduate school. Coming from large families, we knew we  wanted children. We loved kids and the idea of  little ones running around. There was a big unknown, however. In my senior year of high school, I had some medical problems requiring surgery and my ability to conceive was in doubt. My husband and I knew going into marriage infertility might be an issue. Adoption was on our minds even before we said “I do”.

However, you never really know what your fertility status is until you try, so we did. No results for many months and just after I made the first appointment with an infertility specialist, lo and behold, a positive pregnancy test. So that’s how you get pregnant, I joked. We were overjoyed.

Nine months later our oldest was born. The ultrasound indicated we were having a girl, so when our son appeared, we were surprised, but thrilled – and without a boy’s name. Happily, we were able to think of one and took little Thing One home, thanking God for the gift of our son.

A few years later, we hoped to have another child. We tried again, but no pregnancy.  Even making another appointment did not give us our desired result. After many months of tests and procedures, we were finally told there was virtually no chance of another pregnancy. The doctor said he had no medical explanation for the birth of our son. It was bittersweet news to know what a miracle he truly was, but devestating to hear we would not be giving birth to more children.

The doctor told me he thought secondary infertility (an official term, who knew?) was sometimes even more difficult than primary infertility. We had tasted from the cup, so to speak, and were realistically mourning the loss of a future child, not the imaginary version of a couple who has never given birth. We knew exactly what we were missing.

There was no way of knowing whether he was right, but in any case, it was the hardest day of our lives.

Not long afterwards, we turned our focus to our next option. With all the thought we had given to adoption, it was an easy transition. We firmly believed there was a reason for this intense desire in our hearts and God would find another way to bring a child into our family, if it pleased Him to do so. The search for Thing Two began.

Only a few months later, we heard of a young woman who was considering adoption for her baby. She was due soon and would we be interested? Of course! But before we had a chance to know her and her situation, the baby was born. We learned about her on Tuesday , she gave birth on Friday. And on Sunday morning, we brought our new son home.

No applications, no interviews, no classes.

Just like that.

(The agony, stress and paperwork came later.)

Our new baby was home. It hardly seemed fair, considering what so many other adoptive families go through. We were stunned, yet over the moon. He was perfect and beautiful and we were intensely in love with him. God answered our prayers in the most amazing way, we were astounded. Another Miracle Baby.

We did have to wait for the adoption to be final and we knew the birthmother could change her mind during that time. It took several months for the process to be completed and time slowed to a glacial crawl as we waited. And waited. I don’t think either of us fully breathed until the last paperwork was signed.

Adoption is not for the faint of heart.

But neither is parenting, no matter how your children come into the family.

This is us the day our adoption was finalized. We are beyond relieved, our oldest is excited and the youngest is completely oblivious.

Ours Forever.