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
