Addition to our Family

Brock and I had always talked about adopting some day. It was actually one of the questions I asked him when we were dating to make sure he was okay with it :) and luckily he passed haha. We weren't sure exactly when we would adopt but when we went to our nephew Will's baby blessing we knew for sure we needed to start the paperwork ASAP!

At his baby blessing they had 3 women give talks and each of them shared how they had adopted. I literally could not stop the tears rolling down my cheeks because I felt so strongly that we needed to adopt and get things moving right away. It was such a special experience I'll never forget. We met with our caseworker Bob, he gave us the rundown of what we needed to do and told us it usually takes couples about 3-4 months to complete the paperwork, boy was he surpised when we showed up 2 weeks later with it all finished! We were on the website within a month. That was such an aggrevating experience, up until that point the ball had been in our court we had control over how fast things moved along. I'll admit once it was done I just felt like we'd never get a baby. We prayed so hard, and I found myself praying for the birth mom to be able to find us. I know our situation is very unique in how fast things moved, but that just makes me know even more that Annabelle was meant to be in our family. Soon after we got all applied things changed in the adoption process that had we not had our paperwork in, would have prevented us from adopting. We were so grateful that Heavenly Father blessed us so much. Within 6 weeks or so we had been picked. It was funny how I totally hit a roller coaster at that point. One minute we were thrilled and the next I was literally depressed. Brock was dumbfounded and asked me whats wrong?! We've been picked, we're going to get a baby girl! I broke down sobbing and said, yeah but what if she changes her mind...

The next couple of weeks I moped around...basically living at the computer waiting for our next email and praying harder than I think I ever have that we'd be able to adopt our little girl. However I found my prayers changing so that it was focused more on the birth mom, that she would find peace. One time when I was at the temple, I was praying, and I just said, "I can't take this, I need to know if we are going to get her, so that I can prepare my heart." I knew that no matter what happened I would be grateful for the experience because I was able to bare my testimony multiple times to the birth mom. In that moment I received the most comforting feeling of peace, absorbing in every part of my heart. It was such a happy moment. I knew we were going to get her. From that point on I decided to be just as excited as anyone would be when they were preparing to have a baby!

It was funny because I heard so many times from others that we needed to be careful because she could change her mind, but we both knew that she wouldnt. Annabelle is a special little spirit and I can't imagine our lives without her.

Adopting Annabelle has been such a wonderful part of our lives. Our faith has grown stronger and our hearts have grown bigger. I definitely recommend adoption for any family! However I do know that our experience was unique. But to those of you out there who are waiting and aching for a baby to join your family, dont lose hope. God knows you and he knows what you are going through. He has felt the pain you have in your hearts. Don't lose faith, keep praying, someday you will get a baby and then you will know just how worth it the waiting was.