How it all got started

Shortly after arriving home with Rebecca, I knew in my heart that we would adopt again. Don't get me wrong...adoption is HARD. Adding Rebecca to our family was HARD. However, when your eyes are opened, you can't turn your back. I didn't necessarily think we'd go back to China. Actually, I was thinking domestic adoption, even foster care. In my mind I imagined a little African American boy. From everything I had read and heard, this was a great need and I was longing for that little boy. God has different plans than ours, obviously. I found out I was pregnant in April 2008 (BIG shock) and in December 2008 gave birth to that beautiful, blonde-haired, blue-eyed GIRL. I couldn't understand why God chose to bless us in this way, but I am thankful He did. With each child comes a new personality and a whole new set of challenges! He constantly reminds us DAILY that we are not in control!

Fast forward to early 2010...we felt we were ready to pursue adoption again. We looked into several programs, particularly Ethiopia. Pretty much when we got ready to start the process, the program started making lots of changes, including requiring 2 trips, so we knew God was closing that door for us. I then began hearing of the need for families for domestic adoptions, so after consideration and prayer, we began a home study with AGAPE. After that months-long process, we were officially waiting, and it wasn't long until a birth mother "chose" us. However, after the baby was born, there were circumstances that were really beyond her control and she could no longer place her child. We then went through several other opportunities that came and went. In early 2011, we were starting to question our decision...we didn't start this process to "compete" with other families for children. We wanted to add a child to our family that needed us as much as we needed him/her. End of February/beginning of March I saw his picture, just smiling so big at me through my computer screen. He was on a waiting children list with Lifeline, and his file would be returning back to the shared list very soon, which would greatly decrease his chances for adoption. Oh, how we prayed over this child! In our hearts we knew he was ours! The rest of the story is our over a year-long journey to get him here!

Here's that first picture we saw of Guo Zhao Yang. Just precious!