If you read my “In the Valley” blog, you read that we dealt with infertility for many years and that we began to look at other means to build our family.
We knew of Bethany Christian Services in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and called them to get information about adoption. We had an interview and were put on a wait list for a baby. After two years on the wait list we were told that it might still be another year or two before a baby would be available.
Due to my impatience and feeling the years slipping by, we looked into international adoption because we heard that that there was a shorter wait time for an infant. After attending an informational meeting, we came home feeling strongly in our hearts that this was the direction God was leading us. We immediately started the paperwork, had home visits, saved money, and waited. Eight months later, on June 5, we met our 3 ½ month old daughter from South Korea at the Detroit Airport. Two days after our daughter arrived, I had the shock of my life.
We were told that if I got pregnant during the wait for arrival, we would have to wait until after that child was born to proceed with the adoption. Due to my history with miscarriages, I honestly thought there was zero chance of this happening.
Having been pregnant a number of times before, and being somewhat irregular, two days before our daughter’s arrival, I started wondering about some symptoms I was having. But with all the busyness surrounding the anticipation and arrival of our daughter, I thought they were due to excitement. But two days later I ended up taking a pregnancy test just to make sure and realized that I was pregnant!
Even though this was a difficult pregnancy, I am happy to inform you that I was able to carry this pregnancy to term, and our son was born the following January. After 12 years of no children, God had blessed us with two children 11 months apart in age. Two children: a girl and a boy. Perfect. Right? Our story doesn’t end here.
Long story, short… after two more miscarriages, we once again looked into adoption; and two years after the birth of our son, adopted a second daughter from South Korea followed by the adoption of a son also from South Korea two years after that. So now we have 4 children ages 5, 4, 2, and an infant. We felt our family was complete. Okay, you’re probably thinking, “this must be the end of the story now.”
There’s more…