Adoption story: Kyle + Ashley

August 10, 2018

This adoption story may also be titled “Don’t decorate your nursery in gender specific colors!”

Read on for a roller coaster adoption story….

Ashley and Kyle signed on with me in late January of this year, and promptly dove into completing their home study, while we started working on the profile book.

They were able to power through their home study, completing it in record time! (I don’t know of another family who completed one so quickly! They were very organized and motivated!!)

Once their home study and profile design were completed, I started sending them cases, and they also registered with our recommended agencies and contacts.

They bravely presented to a few cases, that were just not the right connection for them. They carried on with presenting to almost every case they received, until one moment in March.

They were selected. By a mom carrying a baby boy. Ashley and Kyle had really been secretly dreaming of a little girl, but they felt a connection with this case and wanted to present.

And they were chosen, and matched, after a phone call with the expectant mom a few states north of them. They selected “Jackson” for a name, and anxiously awaited the due date.

Fast forward to Memorial DayWeekend…. I got a phone call from the agency director…. the baby they were awaiting arrived a bit early…. and was not a boy… but a GIRL!!! (And this is after a million cloths and clothing items had been monogrammed “Jackson!”)? 🙂

Ashley and Kyle were out of town visiting family, and hurriedly made plans to travel out of state to get to the hospital asap.

And this is the story of how a little “Jackson” was really a “Kora” all along!

Although their story took many twists and turns, Kyle and Ashley amazed me with their love and strength.

I’ll let Ashley share a bit more of her thoughts here….

First photo as a family of 3 after Kora arrived a bit early!

We came into adoption after a medical emergency led to me being unable to conceive. It was not an easy decision, but we truly felt in our heart that we wanted to parent and that we weren’t “missing out” by not having a biological child. We also looked at options such as IVF, but those didn’t seem like options that would be successful for us either.

Along the way God taught us that He is always with us and that He is faithful. I am the one of the least patient people, and the entire process helped me gain patience. It also brought us closer together and closer to God.

One thing that always stuck with us is that what is for us is ours…what is not for us will pass. There were instances that we presented to an expectant mother and she didn’t pick us. We kept strong in that we knew God had a baby for us somewhere and we would all be together soon.

Domestic adoption is one of the most amazing and heartbreaking events we have been a part of. We were matched somewhat early in our birth mom’s pregnancy, and while we were preparing for a new little person in our family, we knew there was a woman preparing to leave the hospital without a new little person. We communicated with the expectant mom frequently and truly developed a love of her.

The day our daughter was born was one of the most amazing days of our lives. We are still so honored that a strong woman chose us to be a part of her adoption plan and picked us to parent her baby. My heart breaks for her situation, but our baby girl will always know she has a very strong momma who wanted her to have a different life.

To those who are considering adoption: pray. Pray to ensure what God puts on your heart. Be prepared for an emotional roller coaster like you have never experienced before, and know that it is all worth it in the end.

While we were waiting we continued to pray and think: God has a baby for us somewhere. When we weren’t matched, we would tell ourselves that wasn’t our baby…and that our baby is out there.