We have been blessed with adopting our first child.  While we are very blessed to have our little girl in our life, the true thanks comes in seeing what God has taught us through this adoption process.

Six years ago Kristin and I were married, and about a year into marriage we wanted to start a family. Twelve months of trying, plus another 18 months with a fertility specialist ended in a miscarriage. In this time we could not see what God’s hand was doing in our life, but we trusted His heart.  Adoption had always been a desire of ours but now His timing had put adoption in the forefront and this was going to be the next road we took in our journey.

We first learned about Embraced by Grace through our church, and we also had friends that used them in their adoption. The patience and endurance needed to finish the home study ended in waiting. Our interview went well, and then we were matched.  Twins!! This was last December and what a great Christmas present.  Then, a month before the due date, we got a call no adoptive parent wants from their social worker stating that the birth mother had changed her mind.  No twins. 

We were matched again five long months later, and we came to the 48 hours that would test our faith.  The 48 hours between the birth and the signing of the papers that would allow us to take home the baby. I arrived at the hospital and, with the birth mom’s consent, we were able to hold the baby.  So tiny, so precious, and now it was real to me.  My heart yelled “Geronimo!” and took a leap of faith.   The baby remained in the transitional nursery for 24 of the 48 hours.  Still, our birth mother wished to spend time with us.  It became painfully obvious that we were her only visitors.  She needed hope; she needed light. We could shine the light of God’s love on her darkened soul and pray for her to become God’s adopted child. The original plan of spending 2-3 hours a day visiting, to limit exposure and risk, turns to 8-10 hours hanging out and watching movies.  We introduced her to a pumpkin spice latte, and she loved it.  We prayed together for the baby as she was in the nursery recovering. We ended each day with hugs and smiles.

The day finally came.  The 48 hours were over and the moment of truth arrived. We hoped she felt the love we have for her and her baby girl and prayed that we would have the grace to handle the decision she would make either way. We waited in the hotel room for the call.  Our lives were about to be shattered or changed forever.  She signed!!  We rushed to the hospital and saw our birth mother again. 

We hugged her and thanked her for her gift to us.  We then went to the nursery to hold our baby.  The baby that we were continually told was not ours is now ours.  The baby we had not named to prevent undue attachment is now Kiana which we found to mean Child of God’s Grace. 

We chose to be discharged together with the mother, so she met us in the nursery.  She was crying, and I knew it is bittersweet for her.  I placed Kiana in her arms, and we let her be wheeled out of the hospital with the baby in her arms.  One last picture of the four of us and then came hugs and tears.  Kristin cried both tears of sadness for our birth mother’s separation from her child and tears of joy for our union with Kiana. 

I often think about how difficult our road has been in adopting Kiana but then I think about how much more difficult it was for God to adopt me into His family.   Everyday as I look into Kiana’s beautiful face, I get to be reminded of the beauty of my adoption into God’s family.  To Him be all glory and praise.