It was meant to be

Adoption has to be the best thing that ever happened to me to help me grow my family. I was unable to have children naturally and after experiencing many painful miscarriages even with in vitro fertilization, I turned to adoption. I knew there were so many babies that needed homes too. At the time, I had been trying for 11 years to have a child without success. My husband and I attended a seminar on foreign adoption because at that point I had many misconceptions about domestic adoptions. A week later, I was told about a baby and I contacted the adoption agency. I actually took care of this baby in the NICU and she and I bonded instantly. I got an interview with the agency the next week and the social worker said we could have her by the end of the week when we got all our paperwork in. Wow! It was so fast! I sent pictures to my family. My mom got her pictures a few days later and she passed away later that day from an asthma attack at age 47. I know Heavenly father's hand was in the timing of this baby coming into my life at this time after waiting for so many years for her. Since then my life has been forever changed for the better because of this sweet spirit.


A few years later, the agency called me and said, "Your daughter is going to be three this year. Don't you want another baby?" Of course I did, but I was just so thankful for the one I had been blessed with. We were expecting a girl a few months from then so I had some time to do the paperwork, but a few days later the agency called back saying there was a little boy just born and we could have him. I was so thrilled! I know these adoptions are not the typical waiting game everyone has to play. They are now 14 and 11, respectively.

With our third child, we waited and waited just like everyone else. The waiting seemed endless and often wondered when our baby was coming. But I know the right baby goes to the right family when the time is right. This past May we adopted our sweet baby girl, for whom we waited for what seemed like an eternity. Extended family here and abroad accept our children as much as they would biological children. I have no doubt that if I had been able to carry a child, they would have had the same spirits these have. Our family is meant to be the way it is and I couldn't love my kids with any greater love than I have for them. They know they are special, they are chosen. They were wanted so greatly by their parents. I am so grateful for adoption and how it helped my family. I cannot imagine going through this life without my dear, sweet children. I cannot recommend anything greater than adoption for bringing children into homes. It was meant to be.

Patty O.