Blog

Samantha and Jeremy came to Everlasting Adoptions after struggling with infertility for a few years. They had always felt as if their family was incomplete, so they turned to adoption. In March, only 10 months after signing on with Everlasting, they were connected with birth mom, Crystal. Four short months later, they welcomed their baby boy, Nathan into the world.

If they could offer one piece of advice to other adoptive couples, it would be that despite the stress you may be feeling, rest assured that Everlasting Adoptions will be by your side every step of the way. They were so wonderful, very helpful and empathetic.

Thank you Samantha and Jeremy for letting us be a part of your adoption journey and play such an important role in helping to complete your family.

Birth mother’s think about having an adoption plan for many different reasons. When Amy found out she was pregnant with her 5th child, she knew that parenting another child was not something she felt she could take on. Between meeting the needs of her 4 children in addition to her work schedule and struggles she was already facing, Amy reached out to Everlasting about beginning her adoption plan. Amy said that the path she had chosen for her son was rough, but it was worth it when she connected with our adoptive parents, Sonya & Roderick. No one would be able to predict the similarities that her baby boy and adoptive father Roderick had in common. Not only was Roderick adopted, but he was also the 5th child, just like his son Apollos. While Amy worked through her plan, she said that she felt supported by the staff at Everlasting and felt that they were always transparent and honest about the process and their families. She absolutely fell in love with Sonya & Roderick and felt their loving personalities from the start. If Amy could give one piece of advice to other birth moms, it would be to stay strong and keep pushing through even if it hurts. At Everlasting, we truly care so deeply for our birth mothers and are grateful to have been a pillar of support for Amy during her adoption.

Good things come to those who wait! The wait may be unbearable at times and your destiny can be uncertain. Just when she had thought she had run out of perseverance, Courtney received the call that a birth mom was interested in getting to know her. Courtney had already experienced much heartache with a failed adoption.  Much to her surprise, her birth mom was due in just a few short weeks, and it seemed like there would not be enough time to prepare. Due to the devastation she faced with her failed adoption months earlier, she cautiously dipped her toes into the waters of this connection and held her breath. Courtney’s life completely changed on July 19th, when her daughter Olivia Taylor was born. The journey may have been excruciatingly difficult at times, but when all 19 inches and 7lbs of Olivia were placed in Courtney’s arms, we are certain that the rough road made sense, and the path was clear. This beautiful baby girl was the daughter that Courtney was meant to have. Adoption can be trying, but anything worth having is worth waiting for! Courtney and Olivia, we are honored to be a part of your life and your story, and we can only imagine the adventures that lay before you both!

Adoption has become more main stream with the help of celebrity adoptions and popular TV shows, like This is Us, but for too many people , it remains a topic they know little about.  This can be reflected in the words and phrases used when speaking about adoption.  Most of the time, off-the-cuff remarks or poorly chosen words are not used maliciously, but are indicative of the lack of knowledge surrounding the adoption process.

Words and phrases can evoke negative feelings when used in the context of adoption.  The opposite holds true when careful consideration is used to choose positive and respectful adoption language. The National Council for Adoptionhas put together this helpful list of commonly used adoption language with more positive replacements.

Patricia Irwin Johnston, an infertility and adoption educator, describes respectful adoption language as, “vocabulary about adoption which has been chosen to reflect maximum respect, dignity, responsibility and objectivity about the decisions made by birthparents and adoptive parents in discussing the family planning decisions they have made for children who have been adopted”.  So when Grandma Betty innocently asks why your adopted daughter’s “real parents gave her up”, try to not get offended and offer her examples of a more positive and respectful way to approach the subject of adoption.

When Jonathan and I first met, within the first week of talking we discussed the topic of adoption. We contacted Everlasting adoptions in October 2016. After speaking with Carol, we got a strong sense of love from her and we knew this was the right agency and decision. Our home study was completed in December and in late February we got a call from Lisa letting us know a birth mother was interested in us. We instantly connected with our birth mother and knew this was God’s plan. Throughout the next 5 1/2 months we talked daily and FaceTime twice a week and would drive up to visit her once a month. We were very blessed that she only lived a few hours away. Our adoption did have its ups and downs, but looking at our precious baby boy made it all worth it.

The staff at Everlasting Adoptions went above and beyond our expectations. Lisa is a true gem and was our rock during the many ups and down of our journey. She always made us feel like a priority no matter what day or time. Her constant words of encouragement and advice, guided us in times of need. Her passion for wanting to see through a successful adoption was very apparent. We felt as though she truly has a love for adoption and was with us every step of the way.

If you’re looking for an agency who does everything in their power to have a successful adoption and truly cares, then we encourage you to reach out to Everlasting Adoptions. Our dreams have become a reality because of the experienced loving staff members at this agency. It’s because of them we have such a beautiful son in our lives. A big thank you to everyone who contributed in our adoption journey. Words can’t express how thankful and happy we are!

Adam and Christy had always envisioned adoption being a part of their pathway as parents. Like many couples, they had high hopes of adopting after having biological children of their own. When they faced an uphill battle, adoption became part of their journey sooner than they had thought. They were elated when they got the call on their 12 year anniversary that they were being welcomed into the Everlasting family. Plans changed when they were connected to a birth mom and took a step back from their work with Everlasting to explore this connection. They welcomed their first son John into the world in July of 2014. When they felt ready to adopt again, we began working with birth moms once again to find John a sibling! Adam and Christy experienced many ups and downs in their journey, as many adoptive parents do. After several failed connections and close calls, things all fell into place when they were connected with their birth mom, Chelsie. They had the opportunity to meet Chelsie and her family and hit it off wonderfully! Shortly after returning home, they were surprised with the news that baby would be coming much sooner than expected. On August 8th, Andrew was born and John became one of the cutest big brother’s ever!! We can not thank Christy and Adam enough for trusting Everlasting to help build their family. That gratitude extends even further for their birth mom, Chelsie for allowing us the opportunity to help her when she knew that parenting was not the best decision for Andrew or her and her children. Happy Birthday, Andrew! We can’t wait to see what kind of trouble you and your brother get into!

Michael and Lattrice joined the Everlasting family at the end of 2015. They dreamed of becoming parents, sharing their passions and seeing the world through the eyes of their child. They wanted nothing more than to travel, go to sporting events, and most of all,  share their love of reading with their child. They entrusted Everlasting to help them connect with a birth mom. Michael and Lattrice had a rocky road during their adoption journey. They had several potential birth moms, some who they decided were not the right fit and some birth moms who decided that her path was going in a different direction. The wait was challenging and without a map to guide them, sometimes it didn’t make sense. That all changed in May, when they were contacted about a birth mom named, Skyler. Michael, Lattrice and Sky spent time getting to know each other and connecting. Sky and her son travelled to visit Michael and Lattrice and being together sealed the deal. They were a match! One month later, at 10:08 pm, on July 30th, Sky delivered a beautiful baby girl. Michael and Lattrice named her Mia Skyler. Just 8 days later, they cleared ICPC and were headed home! Their journey was 19 months and at times the wait was frustrating and difficult, but worth it. We hope that baby Mia, Lattrice and Michael truly live a life full of love, joy and that this is their happily ever after.

Little miss Bliss Agnes is walking, saying a few words and getting all of her first molars. She is such a sweet soul, lovely human being and has forever changed her parent’s lives. Happy Birthday to you!

When Jessica and Jonathan got THE call, they had only been with Everlasting for 6 short months. There was a birth mom named Lucia who was interested in getting to know them and from that point on, an extremely unique and special connection began. With both Jessica and Jonathan and their birth mom being just a few hours away from each other and in the same state, they had the extraordinary opportunity to develop a deep relationship with Lucia. Not only were they able to get to know Lucia on so many different levels, they were able to get to know her little boy as well. They enjoyed many outings together. From golfing and swimming to apple picking and magic shows, there was never a lack of laughter and smiles when they were around each other! They of course made sure to gather for meals, eating everyone’s favorite foods! Lucia, Jessica and Jonathan spent so much time also getting to know the precious baby boy that was kicking away in her belly. They even went to ultrasounds together. Boy did they get the surprise of their life when at one ultrasound they were told the baby was a girl and then later found out it was a boy!  

This time together allowed them to share so much about their lives and provided love and support that went much farther than their adoption. Knowing that having an open adoption was crucial to Lucia’s adoption plan, being able to spend so much time together allowed them to learn so much about each other and build a strong foundation for their future.

It is not unusual to face some challenges in an adoption plan and this was no exception, but one thing was certain, there was so much love and compassion surrounding this connection. Lucia was induced on August 2nd and just hours after being admitted, around 3pm, she delivered a beautiful baby boy. Briceton Noah weighed 7lbs 2oz and had a head full of gorgeous dark hair! When confronted with the reality that this sweet boy was here, Lucia struggled to say good bye. She had decided that parenting was the right decision and said goodbye to Jonathan and Jessica. Jessica and Jonathan were devastated, but honored Lucia’s change of heart. They were shocked when she called and said she had changed her mind again and would like to place him with them. They were elated and moved forward with their adoption plan full force.

 Connections like this are unique and not always does an adoptive family get to know their birth mother so well. We know this was not easy and at some points it felt like things would not ever work out, but the strength of the relationship that was built persevered through it all. We commend Lucia and applaud her strength and courage to make the decision she felt in her heart was right for her son. Jessica and Jonathan never gave up hope even when people told them things might not work out. Miracles happen every day, and Briceton, your momma is right. You are a lot of miracle in such a little boy.

Congratulations to Julie and Mike for finalizing their adoption to daughter, Natalee! They welcomed Natalee into the world on January 23rd. Over the last six months, Natalee has brought immense joy to their lives and they are ecstatic to have their adoption finalized. Adoption often accompanies a long road of emotional ups and downs and waiting, but the journey can end with the most rewarding gift; the gift of a child.