After a few years of occasional conversation, a few months of very intense conversation and A LOT of prayer, Mikey and I decided to adopt a child from Ethiopia. We applied to the program with All God’s Children International and after a week of agonizing waiting (more on that later) were accepted! I know that we have a long road ahead of us, emotionally and financially, but I can’t even begin to describe the peace I feel now that our decision has been made. I’m actually so excited about it that I have said out loud more than once, “Thank God I didn’t get pregnant!” which is something I never could have imagined feeling when we were dealing with infertility.

We have had some criticism over our decision to adopt internationally instead of domestically and I get where people are coming from but I don’t necessarily agree with them. Yes, there is a great need here in our country but there is just as much of a need in other countries.  There are over 500,000 orphans in Ethiopia and 1 in 6 of them will not live to see there 5^th birthday. As much as I love to help those here in my own city, state and country, I don’t think we can close our eyes to what is happening all over this world. When I first started researching agencies and came across All God’s Children, I knew they were the agency we were meant to be with! We are all part of the same family and have just as much responsibility to those in other countries as we do to those here in our own country.  For the most part though, the support, encouragement and help that have been offered from our family and friends have been overwhelming.  I can’t even tell you what it means to know that so many people are praying for us through this journey.  We are so very blessed!

Our pastor said Sunday in church that God never wastes a hurt and I am only recently beginning to see how very true that is. As difficult as not getting pregnant was, I wouldn’t change what is happening to our family for anything. I am so grateful to have the opportunity to expand our family this way!