Baby Chris and his Adoption Story...

Hi my name is Stacey. I have a hubby named Eric that I fell in love and married 7 years ago, just this month. We have a 5 year old girl named Ava, 3 year old girl named Devery (they are both biological), and we just adopted our son Chris 9 months ago. Oh, and how can I forget our wonderful dog Bo…?

I am so thankful for the chance to be a guest blogger on LDS Adoption Connection. I have written our story a couple times only because each time I do, I feel like it’s way to long. I then edit it, but feel like you are missing way to many of the great details. So if you are interested in reading more or about our finalization and sealing day please visit our blog.

After having our second daughter, my doctor informed us that it would be a long hard road for me to get pregnant again. Oct of 2009 we decided to start the adoption process through LDS Family Services. We started the paper work, back ground checks, physicals, and calling to make copies of everything to hand in. I took hours, every night filling out the questions about ourselves and trying to write something about ourselves that didn’t sound like we were trying to sell ourselves in a commercial.

One of the hardest questions that we had to answer was –open or closed adoption?- Through our process of becoming qualified to adopt we were required to go to a two day seminar to help us better prepare and understand adoption. We loved it! There were 4 panels of people that have adopted, have placed for adoption and were placed for adoption. At one point I looked over at Eric and he was teary eyed. There it was, our answer. We wanted an open adoption.

Feb of 2010, our profile was posted on itsaboutlove.org and I couldn't have been more excited. Weeks went by and nothing, then months went by and nothing. In June, we got a few e-mails from a boy that was interested in placing, but his girl friend was not, and then nothing again.

Aug 3^rd 2010, our caseworker called us and said that there was a couple that would like to meet us. I don’t remember anything she said after that. All I wanted to do was hang up and call Eric, then my mom, then his mom, then anyone else that would pick up there phone. Two days later we met Chris and Kristi that were due in 7 weeks and having a boy. We spent a couple hours talking then they went out of the room to take a break. When they walked in they gave us a picture of our family with me holding a little boys hand.

They picked us!!

I was so nervous that they would change their minds, that I didn’t tell anyone. I even had my sister in law call me that night to see how it went and I lied to her. In the next couple of weeks we met up with them a few more times and even met Kristi’s parents.

Aug 31, I got a call “ Hi this is Chris” then I say “are we having a baby?” We spent 8 hours in the hospital visiting with their families when baby Chris came into the world.

I got to be in the room during the delivery and Eric came in right after. Chris also let us share the time with him while we all gave baby Chris his first bath.

The Day of placement came and we were sick to our stomachs, just pacing around our house. Every "what if" came across our minds and people would not stop calling to see how it was going. We were not only nervous for us, but because we had fallen in love with Chris and Kristi.  We knew how hard it was going to be for them. When we arrived at the hospital there was a lot of waiting and even more paper work. Then the time came when Kristi held Chris in her arms, gave him a kiss on the forehead, and then placed him in my arms.

We just love adoption and our wonderful son, Chris. We love Chris and Kristi and their families. We thank our Heavenly Father for this amazing blessing in our lives.