Kurtis & Aimee

I am looking out the window watching the snow blanket the countryside in pure white fluffiness as my two baby girls quietly take their naps. The living room, however, is not quite as peaceful. It is a wonderful mess of toys, sippy cups, crushed cereal and various crayons strewn about. I am crying because I’m so happy as I reflect back on the past 17 months. After trying to have a baby of our own for 2 years, my husband and I decided it was time to look into the possibility of adoption. Everyone was saying that we should “just relax and wait,” that we “were still young and that nature would soon take its course and we would get pregnant.” After all, we were only 25 years old. But that wasn’t what we wanted to hear! Who can “relax” when all you want to do is hold a baby in your arms?

We had always wanted to adopt a baby, even if we could conceive, why not now? We were ready and willing and if God wanted us to, he would lead the way and open all the doors we needed. We looked into international adoption first, since I had spent time in Romania with orphans there before we were married. But Romania was closed. The other place we had in mind was China, but we weren’t married long enough, weren’t old enough and the wait was a long 2 years or more. These we sensed were clearly closed doors.

Moving on, I merely did a random search online and ANLC was the first to come up. I clicked on the link, showed the info to my husband and within a month we set up an appointment for a phone conference. Everyone was so sweet and friendly, we didn’t even look anywhere else! We were so excited and ready to follow our dreams to the baby that God had chosen for us.

ANLC made everything so smooth and fun. We simply didn’t mind getting all the photos, letters and other paperwork in order. We submitted our information on May 1st, we were chosen by our birthmother June 25th, and our baby was born July 29th. Our parents hardly had time to prepare to become grandparents!! We were successful in giving them some much needed grey hairs! Before the process, we thought for sure we would wait a long time, possibly a year. After all, we were one of the youngest couples posted online. But God brought us to our birthmother and our baby girl, not a moment too soon or too late! The relationship with our birthmother is still one we cherish and hold dear to this day. We can’t thank her enough for the blessing she has been to us and the blessing she has given us.

She was just a week old when we found out that we were pregnant! Sadly to say, at 6 weeks, I misscarried that baby. Two months later we conceived again and carried to term a baby girl, Lana Faith who was born Aug 8th (a year exactly to the day that we brought her home)! Now tell me that God doesn’t have a sense of humor!?

Now at 17 months old, our sweet baby is a big sister. It is such a delight watching her grow and now interact with her new sister. She gives her hugs and kisses and it makes my heart just melt! She is a continuous joy and makes us laugh as she jumps and runs and chases her favorite doggy all over the house!

If you have thought about adopting, stop thinking and take the leap of faith! Its amazing! And like us, you will look back on years of joy, smiles, and tears of happiness. Adoption is a true miracle. Having a baby by adoption is quite the same as having a baby born of your own body. It’s no different love. And to that, I know first hand. They are yours from the heart at the very beginning. It’s hard to describe just how much I love them both in the same way…can I show you in tears?

Thanks again to God and the staff at ANLC.

Love