Wanda & Steve

As if It Were Yesterday

When we started the adoption process, we’d been trying to get pregnant for two years. We had one miscarriage that led us to finding out Wanda would never be able to carry a child to full term. It was hard for us to face the fact that we wouldn’t be able to have biological children. But God showed us a way to still have children. We followed what He was telling us and started to look into adoption.

After some online searching, we came across Angel. The ladies at Angel were all adoptive moms themselves. They understood everything about the process and what we were feeling. They were really helpful in supporting us and educating us along the way.

We were excited, anxious, and nervous when we first started. We didn’t know if the birth parents would change their minds, but we held on to our faith. Everyone at our church and our immediate family just wanted to see us with our own children. They were a great source of support and inspiration.

A Smooth Ride

We were blessed, and our social worker said we had one of the smoothest adoptions she’s ever seen. We will never forget the day we were connected to our daughter’s birthmother. We were one of two couples she was considering. When we spoke to her, Wanda just felt like she knew her forever. She also had a great connection with Steve. As the days passed, she told us she chose us because she just felt like we were meant to be. Our connection was strong from the beginning.

Unfortunately, she lived 3,000 miles away. We didn’t meet until the day before our daughter was born. But she kept us in the loop on every appointment. She sent us ultrasound pictures and she and Wanda talked daily. She was open with us, and we felt secure she was sure she was doing the right thing.

She Was Ours

Our daughter’s birthmother ended up having a scheduled C-section. We were able to fly out and be there for the birth, but there could only be one person in the delivery room. She chose her mother, but we didn’t mind. We simply stayed outside and waited.

As soon as Janessa was born, the nurse came to get us. We were there for her and Janessa immediately after the birth. When the nurse gave us Janessa to hold, Steve froze in place while holding her. He was afraid to move because that was the first time he had ever held a baby. We were both just staring at her. Words cannot describe how overwhelmed with love we were! At that moment, we both knew Janessa was ours. There was no doubt.

Our Daughter Is Thriving

It’s been eight years, and our daughter is now at an age where she’s curious about her birth parents. We have stayed in touch with her birthmother all this time. We send her pictures frequently, and we are coordinating a trip for our daughter to meet her.

All throughout the adoption process, we prayed a lot. Her birthmother and God are the ones who made all of this possible. She reassured us and herself that she wanted this. We were so happy she did. Our daughter is now a bright young lady full of life. She has thrived under our care. We are so grateful for the opportunity to help her grow.

People say you have to have patience and faith when the waiting seems like it’s forever. But truly, there’s no other way this can happen. Only in faith can you be united with the child who is right for you and your family.