familiesOur Adoption Story: Rhonda and Dave
Adoption was something I wanted to do as long as I can remeber. I can remember being only 15 years old and feeling I would adopt a child some day. It was my calling and destiny. I discussed it freely with my parents and they were very supportive. As the years went by, my husband knew that I wanted to adopt even before we married and we agreed that "someday" we would. I had 2 biological children, I was blessed with the miracle of birth (c-sections) and motherhood. The second child was going to be our last, so as planned, I got a tubal ligation seconds after my c-section. I told my Dr. as he was snipping and suturing about how our next child, we would adopt. When my biological children were 3 & 5 years old, I brought up adopting and it was shot down due to the cost. I would still fantasize about it. I would buy baby clothes for my daughter's dolls and tell her when I adopt, I will need them back. My mother would question me ocassionally about my adoption plans, so no one forgot - it was just "someday".
Sometimes it is best to silently pray for your dreams and heart's desire, rather than badger your husband once you know he has made up his mind.
Then I was asked, as a lay leader of the church, to give a referrence to someone adopting from Vietnam. It was so hard for me knowing that I should be on this journey too. My husband questioned this couple relentlessly about cost, travel and other aspects of adoption. Fortunately they knew where he was coming from and tolerated him graciously. They got their baby and she was so cute. They brought her to church often. Months went by and we still didn't move forward. Finally, I just spoke up and asked my husband if I should give this dream up, just tell me "no", and we won't speak of it again.
One day I came home from work and there, on the counter, was a newspaper clipping about an adoption meeting nearby. It was for China. I didn't question my good fortune, we went. We signed up that day. We haven't looked back. Our Katie was adopted 2 years later. The wait was 14 mos long. (DTC Aug 01 -Referral Oct 02) It was a rollercoaster. We went to China in Dec 2002. In the plane on the return from China, my husband asked how it felt to get what you always wanted. I told him I felt complete. I felt I did what I was destined to do. He said this adoption journey was better than he ever dreamed, we have to do it again.
So here we are!! DTC Jan for Madison. There will be 6 in the family this fall. My oldest starts college next year. We go from paying adoption costs to paying tuition. I am the luckiest person alive!! God has blessed me abundantly.
