| Hello Friends, | | | | personally felt that there was to many lawsuits |
| This will be one of the most emotional articles that I | | | | involving parents wanting their children back or family |
| will ever write. A little background into why I say this | | | | members going after custody. We decided to go |
| is I am now 46 years old. I married my wonderful | | | | with an international adoption. We looked at China but |
| wife Michelle when I was 23 and she was 18. We | | | | mostly what they had were girls and we was leaning |
| started our life together wanting to have a family | | | | toward a boy. One day my wife was looking online |
| and be like all the other friends and family members | | | | and saw a Christian adoption agency within 2 hours |
| we had. Well, God had other ideas about what would | | | | of our home. On the site she looked at some kids |
| be good for us! After about 5 years and no success | | | | from Guatemala and we decided we wanted some |
| we started going to doctors to have all the tests run | | | | more information. |
| that can be run. | | | | We went down and started all the paperwork which |
| All the results came back the same, no problems with | | | | took like 18 months total! Thank God she is |
| either one of us! What was going on? Finally after 6 | | | | persistent! We got approved toward the end of |
| years of marriage my wife became pregnant! OH | | | | 2006 and now we just had to find our son. It was on |
| BOY! We were so excited! The family was thrilled. | | | | December 21, 2006 that we saw pictures of our son |
| Everything was finally going our way and we were | | | | for the first time! When we saw his picture we had |
| expecting! Everything was going great for the first | | | | to call right then to make sure we were the ones to |
| couple of months. At the start of the 4th month we | | | | get him. We know when we saw him that this is |
| went in to the doctors office so excited to see the | | | | what God had waiting for us. |
| development of our child! | | | | It still took many months to get all the paperwork |
| I was watching the screen and when I looked at the | | | | done but we succeeded. Since Johnathan was just a |
| doctors face I knew something was wrong. He tried | | | | few days old he stayed with foster parents paid by |
| to be gentle but I still tear up when I remember his | | | | the agency. You could tell by the pictures they were |
| words. We have lost the baby! He was very | | | | sending that he was well taken care of. |
| supportive because he says this is a common thing | | | | We finally got the call on October 15, 2007 that we |
| and this means my wife can get pregnant. It was a | | | | were approved to go get him. I will never forget |
| hard time but we was still positive we could have a | | | | what I was doing when I got the call. Within 1 hour |
| baby. Well, we did get pregnant again in about | | | | Michelle had the plane reservations and the room |
| another year and we were so excited again. Surely | | | | booked! We were as excited and nervous as we |
| this time it would go fine. | | | | have ever been. I was always looking forward to this |
| It was not to be. We only went about 3 months | | | | day but now wonder if he will like us? Thank God |
| again this time. It does not get easier each time | | | | that was no problem. |
| either. I tried not to let Michelle see how devastated | | | | The day we arrived in Guatemala City they brought |
| I was just to keep her from breaking down. I had a | | | | Johnathan to us within 3 hours. I knew it was him |
| lot of crying by myself and praying for this to work | | | | when they were coming through the parking lot! It |
| out. Little did I know that God was answering my | | | | was like he was waiting on us to come get him! We |
| prayers but not the way I was looking for them to | | | | went up to the room and met with the facilitator and |
| be answered. After the second miscarriage we could | | | | the foster mother for about an hour. During this time |
| not get pregnant again. After another couple of | | | | I was in the floor playing with Johnathan and he took |
| years we went to a fertility clinic to get back on | | | | right up with us. What is unbelievable to this day to |
| track. It worked again and then the same thing 2 | | | | me is that when the foster mother left he never |
| more times. We just could not get past the 3 month | | | | cried or fussed at all! It was like he was just waiting |
| period! | | | | for us to come get him. |
| By this time we had kind of settled down and | | | | We brought him home a week before his first |
| realized we probably would not become parents on | | | | birthday. When my parents met us at the airport he |
| our own. I figured we would just have to spoil our | | | | know he was with people who loved him. Quite a bit |
| nieces and nephews like they were our own children. | | | | of my family came out that night after 11 pm just to |
| It was a few years later as I was reaching my upper | | | | see him for a few minutes and he laughed and |
| 30s that my wife started talking about adoption. | | | | entertained them like he knew right then he was in |
| I told her that I would be open to the idea but that I | | | | the family! |
| did not want to have a child after I reach the age of | | | | The last 2 years of my life could not have been any |
| 40. I am so glad that she does not listen to me! This | | | | better. He is that greatest son that I could have ever |
| drug on for a few years then in 2005 I sold a spec | | | | wished for. He is all boy and is rough and tumble but |
| house and made a good profit on it. She asked what | | | | has a heart of gold. Gives the best kisses and hugs. |
| I was going to do with it and I told her it was ours | | | | In conclusion, If you are considering adoption I say |
| and what did she want to do with it. She said we | | | | YES! It is worth anything it takes to get you a son |
| could now afford to look at adoption because the | | | | or daughter who you can love for the rest of your |
| cost are around $30,000. I told her to go for it and | | | | life! If we had adopted sooner in life I probably would |
| she looked at different places to adopt. | | | | have adopted more but this was Gods plan and I |
| We ruled out a local adoption fairly soon as we | | | | love it! |