Adoption Story: Ian and Ashley

You know how there are some people who stir your heart to love Jesus more simply by knowing them? That’s how I feel about this sweet CAC couple, Ian and Ashely. Watching God work in their lives as they followed His lead through the twists and turns of their adoption journey has encouraged and challenged my faith. As you read Ashley’s words about their journey, I have no doubt that you will be encouraged as well.

Look What God has Done (by Ashley)

Adoption was always a distant, ambiguous, and fanciful idea for my husband Ian and I. It was a “maybe one day” type of thought, an “adoption is great, but we’ll see” sort of mindset. And honestly I can’t recall the exact day it changed for us. The day it became too close to our hearts to ignore, an assured desire, and not such a lofty idea anymore — rather a tangible, worthwhile pursuit. Never mind we’re a one income family, never mind the Lord blessed us with two children already, never mind we didn’t know where to start. We knew our Good Father had put this desire in our hearts accompanied with a peace that He’d work it out in His way, for His glory.  

And oh, how He did. 
How He has.
And how He will continue to do so.

Early on in our adoption journey we utilized social media as an outlet for updates, prayer requests, and fundraising efforts. We saved money and fundraised but began to grow discouraged as things did not go as planned. The Lord used Katie, a sound, faithful, promising voice to always bring me back to trusting in the Lord and His goodness when I started to forget. She told me a number of stories of these incredible adoption journeys, meant to encourage us in the trying road that is growing a family. I remember thinking that those beautiful and miraculous stories sounded too good to be true, there’s no way ours will be like those.

Ian and I began to reevaluate our fundraising efforts and the direction we’d take to adoption. We spoke to Katie about pursuing foster care and she encouraged us to follow whichever way the Lord was leading us and that she’d be with us every step of the way.  We completed every necessary requirement for becoming licensed foster parents and were waiting for our license. 

Then I got a Facebook message. 

My phone beeped on a Sunday morning while sitting in church. I silenced the alert and didn’t open it until walking into lunch. The message came from a cousin of mine. She saw on Facebook that we were pursing adoption and had a friend and co-worker who needed a family for her unborn baby.

A mere 28 days later a pink, whimpering, swaddled, miracle baby was wheeled into our room at the hospital 5 minutes from our home. “Mom and Dad, meet your son!” a nurse said excitedly. Look What God has Done was all I could respond as I fixed my eyes on his face. Today he turned 8 months old and I’m still staying and will forever continue to do so… Look What God has Done!

There were so many unknowns. We were especially nervous, scared, and admittedly fearful. Our 2 and 4 year old didn’t fully understand. We didn’t have a lot of money. We didn’t have a big house. We just had a YES and a determination to pursue this thing, and our child that God loves so much. Our journey didn’t go as planned, we adopted privately. We initially thought we’d adopt from an agency, then decided to foster and see where the Lord took that. We knew we didn’t have all the details figured out as we entered this process and honestly know the Lord took our YES and exceeded every expectation, perfectly consistent with His character and His love for adoption.

I posted on Facebook during the thick of our journey that if I had two words for the adoption process they’d be: emotional rollercoaster. A year later as I held our boy close to my chest and heart, Facebook reminded me of the post. I now choose two new words to describe the adoption process: worth it.