SUCCESS STORIES

As we celebrate our ten year wedding anniversary, we have been blessed with the gift of life. We adopted our first child, who was already one month old, when Ceal at Everlasting called us to inform us of our miracle.

We took custody of our daughter on December 20, 2014, within three days of being called. Our daughter, Laila Grace is a true Christmas miracle!

The staff at Everlasting is a composite of a lawyer, social worker and recruiter therefore you’re in fantastic hands! We have worked with other agencies, and Everlasting is absolutely outstanding because they are your family! Like family, they are with you through good and bad.

We have wanted to adopt in addition to having biological children. However, after nine miscarriages, we thought we’d never be parents. Now, we are parents thanks to God and Everlasting’s work as the brilliant conduit.

Everlasting’s accessibility, guidance and professionalism are second to none. We have our Christmas miracle in Laila Grace. Thank you Everlasting Adoptions; you made our dreams come true!

Hi Carol & Team!

We wanted to wish you a Merry Christmas and again say a sincere thank you for helping us grow our family through adoption. We are so blessed to be able to celebrate the holidays this year with our two beautiful daughters. Thank you all for helping make our dream come true!

We decided to adopt for a few different reasons. Anne and her brother were adopted, as was Tory’s sister, so adoption has always been a wonderful part of our lives. We always knew we wanted to adopt, and when we realized we couldn’t conceive naturally, we were even more motivated to move forward with adoption.

We evaluated several different agencies before selecting Everlasting Adoptions. Having been through an adoption journey once before, we knew we wanted to work with people who understood how difficult that process can be for adoptive parents. We did not want to be just another name on a list. We found the environment we were looking for with Carol and the team at Everlasting.

Our experience with Everlasting was very, very positive. The birth mother did not contact Everlasting until she was already nine months pregnant and about ready to deliver. Carol was extremely supportive to the birth mother, the birth mother’s support system, and of course to us. Carol and the team were on the phone nearly 24/7 working to connect all of us in a very short period of time. The flurry of activity that took place over the first 72 hours since we got the call was astounding. Within less than one week of receiving the first call from Carol, we were at the hospital holding our newborn daughter. What a miracle!! Carol continued to follow-up with us throughout the process. It was wonderful to know that the Everlasting team had us in their thoughts and prayers.

We know how hard the waiting can be, so our advice to other prospective adoptive parents is to try just live your lives to the fullest and not get too anxious about how long the process can take. We were very fortunate to have only been waiting seven short months since contacting Everlasting Adoptions. However, we waited much longer our first time with a different agency and know how difficult it can be.

Again, thank you Carol and team for your guidance and support. You not only helped welcome our beautiful daughter Kyla Lynne into our family, but also connected us with an amazing birth mother who means so much to us. Our adoption journey through Everlasting was a very positive experience. Thank you!

Happy Holidays!

Tory & Anne

I decided to adopt a baby because I’ve wanted to be a mother for as long as I can remember. From the time I made the decision to adopt through Everlasting Adoptions to the time I brought home my daughter took a total of 18 months. The staff at Everlasting Adoptions was very instrumental in explaining the process of adoption and a variety of experiences that adoptive parents go through. I found it encouraging that Carol spoke to me about her personal experience of being an adoptive parent. I think it helps to have staff who have walked in my shoes as well as are parents themselves. The staff is more compassionate from that perspective.

I would recommend talking to other adoptive parents about their experiences. It is helpful to know and learn what various people do to prepare for adoption as well as how to nurture a relationship with the birthmother and her family. The birthmother’s familial support for her decision can make or break her decision to follow through with the adoption. If you have the opportunity to meet the birthmother prior to the birth, I would highly recommend doing that.

My experience with Everlasting Adoptions was positive. I appreciated the smaller staff and felt that I could receive more personalized attention versus what I might receive at a larger operation. I appreciated being able to develop a relationship with the birthmother.

It is very important to feel like the birthmother is committed to the process. Additionally, it is very important to utilize the legal services of attorneys who specialize in adoption. Adoption laws vary by state, so specialized knowledge in adoptions and application of the law, in each state, is very critical.

I feel very lucky to have Isabella in my life. My dreams of being a mother have finally come true! Thank you Everlasting Adoptions!

Adoption has been something that I was always very open to because we have close friends, neighbors, and extended family who are adopted. We started talking about it seriously a couple of years ago as an option, and as Christians, adoption holds a special place in our hearts. It is a way we can love like Jesus loves us. The more we talked and prayed about it, and went to adoption informational meetings at Church, we just felt led to move forward and start the process. Though it hasn’t been easy, it has been completely worth it, and we look forward to, at some point in the future, adding to our family and adopting again.

 

The process from start to finish took about 22 months which was much longer than I had anticipated. For whatever reason, I thought our journey would be simple and fast without any “speed bumps”. And then reality hit. We now realize that adoption is never simple or easy; it’s a complex issue with a human life at stake. But, if you stay committed and keep your faith, in the grand scheme of things, the wait time is nothing compared to the life you now have!

 

Everyone at Everlasting was great with us. They were completely reachable and in contact, even if it was just to emote and verbalize our feelings. What we loved is that they’ve been through the process themselves so they understand all the feelings and emotions that are a part of the journey. I liked receiving a monthly update email from them, and also being able to text any of the ladies at a moment’s notice. That made us feel like we weren’t alone or forgotten in the process.

 

Our advice to other prospective adoptive parents is to be patient! Maybe it will happen right away for you, but be patient in the wait if it doesn’t. Keep living your life and enjoying today while hoping for tomorrow. Also, be prepared as much as possible for a roller coaster of emotions. It isn’t always a smooth process and there are risks and fears, so go into it not expecting perfection but being realistic. And know most of all, every tear, every fear, every moment waiting and hoping is completely WORTH IT.

I would rate my overall experience with Everlasting an 8.5 out of 10. I would rank it higher maybe if we were placed faster, but, we really feel, for the price, Everlasting was a great value, truly affordable. The women were very personable and easy to work with.

Sara and Jason

We had always talked about adopting when we had completed our biological family, but the more we talked about it, the more we thought, “why not START our family with adoption?” The process took about 17 months, and although the wait was excruciating, it was really encouraging to hear from Sheila and Ceal from Everlasting. Once we were matched, Ceal was diligent in checking in with us AND our birth mom, making sure everything was moving forward smoothly. There were moments of uncertainty and complication, but the Everlasting staff was extremely encouraging and helpful. We had a wonderful experience with Everlasting and will likely use them again in the future! Once we had our little one in our arms, Ceal sent congratulations and a kiss from “Auntie” Ceal! One piece of advice we would offer prospective adoptive parents is try not to obsess over the wait (easier said than done). Live your life in the meantime – vacation, travel, date your spouse, etc. And most importantly, DON’T LOSE FAITH that your little one WILL make it to you at the right time!

Love,
Katie and Merrick

Sean and I discussed adoption from the first time we started talking about family planning. We did want to try to have a baby the “old fashioned way” first, but after numerous miscarriages, and failed IVF rounds, we found out, definitively, that we cannot have a child naturally.

From the time we signed up with Everlasting Adoptions until our beautiful baby son, Austin, was born, and we were able to bring him home, took about 16 months. The process was filled with ups and downs. Sean and I were initially placed with a birthmother this past summer. We established a great relationship with the birthparents and were present for the birth. The day we were to take the baby home with us, the birthparents decided to keep the baby. Sean and I were devastated, and were not sure we wanted to proceed with the adoption process. We took some time to heal, and realized in our hearts that we wanted to be parents more than ever. Shortly after we decided to proceed, we were matched with an Angel; Austin’s birthmother.

We would like to give some advice to other prospective adoptive parents. I think the biggest thing we would say, is to proceed with some caution after being placed with a birthmother. Don’t get overly excited (ie; telling the whole world about the pending adoption, decorating the nursery, throwing showers etc….) Wait until you bring the baby home to tell everybody else (other than close friends and family), throw the showers, and decorate the nursery. That way you can do everything with your baby, and it will make the experience just that much more special!

The staff at Everlasting Adoptions – namely Ceal – was an integral part in our adoption journey. Ceal introduced our birthmother to us, and helped guide both sides through the emotional process, offering guidance and advice. Ceal honestly made the adoption possible!!! Ceal became a lifetime friend not only to the birthmother, but to Sean and myself as well!

Out of 10 Stars, I would give Everlasting a 10….we have our beautiful baby boy Austin, because of Everlasting Adoptions!!!

Dear Everlasting,

We would like to take this opportunity to say “Thank You” in assisting us in fulfilling our desire to be parents. With your help, we were connected with a sweet birthmother and have been blessed with a beautiful baby boy. We, along with our families, are over the moon with joy and love. We cannot begin to express to you how much our families adore our little one.

Our adoption journey has been a very positive experience. We began the process in June of 2013, and in February of 2014, our dream became reality. For us, adoption was two-fold. While it has provided us with the family we so desired, it has also allowed us to be a blessing to our child and his birthmother. We are very grateful to the birthmother for the courage that it took to make what we know was a very difficult decision.

From the initial stages of the adoption process through a successful connection, the staff at Everlasting was wonderful. Not only were they professional, but they were also very sincere in their dedication to ensure a connection was made. We never once felt like we were just a number in a pool. For us, that was a very big factor in selecting an agency to assist us. We especially want to thank Ceal, who was our adoption counselor. Each time we spoke with her, her demeanor was always the same…caring and genuine interest in whatever our concerns were.

To prospective adoptive parents, we encourage you to trust that Everlasting will do everything possible to make a perfect connection. Our experience was 100% positive, and we look forward to working with them in the future.

Again, “thank you” to our special birthmom for choosing and allowing us to provide all the opportunity and love that a mother desires for her child. We love you to infinity!

Many thanks to Everlasting for the connection that we believe was made according to God’s perfect plan.

Abbott & Amelia

We tried to have a baby for several years including two miscarriages. Due to our age, we realized that adoption would be the most feasible route to start a family together. We started the process in March, 2013 with Everlasting Adoptions, and on January 27, 2014, one of God’s most precious gifts to us was born. I am ecstatic yet humbled by God’s goodness as I think of our little one sleeping peacefully in her bassinet at this very moment. The staff at Everlasting Adoptions were instrumental in helping us to keep our focus. Ceal always had a kind word of support and encouragement just when we needed it. If you are considering the process or you are in the middle of the process, gird yourself with positive thoughts, prayers, confessions and a supportive network of friends, and just keep pressing. There are times of excitement, frustration and disappointment…but just like labor, when it is over and you hold your baby, you forget about all of the pain and frustration that you have ever felt. The reward for your journey is priceless.

Hi! We are Sara and Mike.

We cannot express enough how awesome and wonderful Everlasting Adoptions has been in our journey to becoming parents. We
are blessed with our Hudson, born on December 19, 2013. He is so beautiful and precious (and a good sleeper) that sometimes I still
have to pinch myself to make sure this is all real.

Our journey began 2 years ago when I was diagnosed with Ovarian Cancer. We knew immediately that instead of postponing treatment to
harvest eggs, our path to having a baby would be through adoption. I was adopted myself, as was my cousin, so adoption was always going to be
part of our plan; we just thought we would be able to have a biological child, as well. The decision for us to adopt was easy, finding the right agency or person to put our hopes and dreams in? Well… after finding Everlasting Adoptions, that was easy as well.

We interviewed with several other nationwide agencies and/or facilitators. They made use feel like a number, like they had this checklist, and it was very obvious to us that we were just means to an end to them. Then we talked to Carol Shepherd. She emailed us back immediately, talked to us over the phone, and in the end, made choosing Everlasting very simple. I had a feeling after hanging up the phone with Carol that Everlasting would help us find our baby.

Sheila Neuman was amazing as well. She answered every email, and there were many, and returned every phone call, and there were many. She was supportive and kind and always had patience. She constantly assured us that a match would be coming. We signed on in January 2013, went live in April 2013 and were matched in September 2013. I remember speaking to Ceal Shapiro for the first time and she asked “Its a boy, do you want him?” YES was the answer! Ceal was wonderful, working with our birthmother and her mother, as well as checking in with us regularly and helping us stay calm during the entire process.

Before we knew it, December was upon us and we flew to meet our son. We were open to all forms of adoption: open, semi-open and closed. Our wonderful birthmother chose semi-open, and we will be always grateful for her. She gave us our son. She handed Hudson to me and said “You are a mommy.” He is just perfect and wonderful, and because of this brave woman and Everlasting Adoptions, we are a family. I am a mother and Mike is an amazing father. Within 12 months, we became parents, and it is due to Everlasting.

I cannot recommend them highly enough.
Thank you Carol, Sheila and Ceal. Thank you.

Love,

Sara and Mike

Hello! We are Scott & Allison and we are so blessed to have our new baby boy, Thomas! We are soaking in every second with our angel. We chose to adopt because of fertility issues, but instead of continuing with treatment, we chose adoption. We wanted a family…it didn’t have to be a baby with our DNA! We did our research in agencies and our options. When we found Everlasting, we liked what we saw and really liked the staff. We waited about 8 months before we were matched with our birth family and at about a year with Everlasting, we were placed with our baby. Waiting is hard, I won’t lie, but it’s totally worth it in the end. Our relationship with our birth parents has been wonderful and we chose an open adoption. I would encourage adoptive families to truly consider being as open as possible because it has made it much easier on everyone in our situation. Adoption is an amazing journey, with many ups and downs. If your heart is telling you to go for it, don’t hesitate!