How it all began

Our journey began back in June 2006 when I was diagnosed with Endometriosis, which is a disease that effects the reproductive organs, making it more difficult to become pregnant. Endometriosis has no cure, but is quite painful at times. Pregnancy stunts the growth of the disease, but the problem is that it is quite difficult to become pregnant. With the diagnosis, I had surgery (laporoscopy), where they go into my stomach from three different places and burn off all the endometriosis with a laser. This is kind of a "spring cleaning" that many have to have every few years.

After the surgery in June of 2006, we started trying to get pregnant. At the time, we were still living in Beirut, Lebanon, where we lived for over three years, and seven months later (which felt like an eternity) we became pregnant! We thought the timing perfect as another dear American friend living with us in Lebanon became pregnant only 10 days earlier. It had been a dream of ours to carry children together. Then, we miscarried.

Disappointment pushed us deep into the heart of God, where we searched for comfort and renewed hope. We were, however, very encouraged that we had been able to get pregnant and expected a second pregnancy to quickly follow. However, one month of disapointment led to another, which led to another, which turned into years....

During this time, we have heard God speak promises to us for children. One such promise came during a powerful prayer time with some friends in Lebanon:

Psalm 144:12

May our sons in their youth be like plants full grown,
our daughters like corner pillars cut for the structure of a palace.

In fall of 2007 we started talking about adoption, not as a last resort or because we felt hopeless about having biological children, but because our hearts started to soften as we asked God the purpose for our infertility. In our asking, it seemed as though God was saying that "infertility is a gift for those who choose to embrace it". Like most trials in our lives, if we view them as coming from the loving and faithful hand of our Heavenly Father, we will begin to see them as incredible gifts. We realized that the gift was not just for our own character development (which can become excruciating when you WAIT for something indefinitely), but it was a gift for someone else... a child that may need a home.

Our preliminary research made international adoption seem like an impossibility because expenses were extremely high! But over Christmas of 2007, God had answered that obstacle through a loving grandfather-to-be and we were able to dream again!

For us, adoption immediately meant international. Because we have lived overseas, started businesses overseas, we believed that this was another connection God would give us to impact the world. We started researching different countries we could adopt from and learned that much had changed... China is now the most expensive nation to adopt from and has a 2-4 year wait list. Guatemala is no longer a possibility, and others seemed to have red tape. Our list narrowed to Korea, Vietnam and Ethiopia. The more we looked into each country, the more our hearts broke for the nation of Ethiopia. The situation is desperate... there are over 5 million orphans because of famine and their parents dying of AIDS. Please click on the USA Today link to watch a news clip video on the situation.

Once the decision was made, we moved quickly. We applied to an organization we had peace about in January of 2007. We were accepted in the program in February, and I will spare you the painful details of the time and paperwork that has filled our lives since then.

We have requested a healthy boy, 12 months or younger and GREATLY anticipate his arrival. Please pray for him... that he would stay healthy, be well-nourished, cared for affectionately, and that we and him would be prepared for each other.

Where we are now:

January 2008-- research international adoption options
January 15, 2008-- applied for the Ethiopia program with Children's Hope International
February 5, 2008-- accepted into the Ethiopia program
July 18, 2008-- finished Dossier (adoption paperwork) and sent to Ethiopia!!!
July 19, 2008-- officially put on the wait list, which is currently 6-10 months time