First Story to share!

I am so excited, I got home today and found two adoption stories in my email. I will post one tonight and then the other in a couple days. I love adoption and I love reading your stories. Thank you...keep em' coming....lovingly, Paula. Zachary's story When we got married, we "thought" we were in control of when to start our family (we laugh about that now), so we decided to be on birth control for the first few months of our marriage. After about 8 months of uncontrollable hormones and emotions due to the pill, we decided to start "trying" for a baby. I remember when and where we were when we decided that, and I remember exactly where I was when I took that last pill and threw the rest away, it was a feeling of utter excitement. Little did I know what lie ahead. After a year of trying, I went to the doctor to find out what was going on. We did blood tests and ultrasounds, with no conclusive explanation. So, I was put on clomid and that was our jumping off point, on the long journey ahead. I spent so much money on pregnancy tests throughout this time, it was unreal. After a few months I was then on the highest dose of Clomid and also on Glucophage which tends to help women ovulate. I had still not been diagnosed with anything, other than irregular ovulation. No PCOS or anything, just frustration. So we decided to have my husband tested, which came back saying little or no sperm found. Then we did more tests, which proved there were very few sperm, and they weren't the healthiest or the best swimmers, however, the doctor was quite hopeful that we could get pregnant. My body started "working" regularly so we thought for sure we would. This went on for months and months. I would get frustrated, stop taking everything and just cry. Then get motivated again and start the process all over. After 3 years of this, we met with a reproductive endocrinologist in SL to get his opinion on things. We left his office VERY hopeful and optimistic about AI and IUI or even IVF. Knowing we were still poor college students, we started on the cheapest road first and found another dr in Logan to help us. The first IUI was terrible for me. I was in so much pain afterwards, I just sat in the room and cried and cried. Then a few weeks later when my period started I was so mad, angry, sad, depressed, etc. So, we prayed and fasted to know what to do next. We felt very strongly about doing it again, one more time. Our family also felt the same way. When I went in for the next one, I knew it was going to work, we just knew it. I had a blessing the night before that promised me a child, so I knew it was going to work. I went in with such a positive attitude. It was still painful but I was willing to go through ANYTHING to have a child. I went home, back to work, back to life and waited to see. Then the dreaded day came. I had some of my closest friends calling me asking if I was pregnant yet, and I had to tell them, through more of my tears, NO. One of my best friends even had a very spiritual experience about my baby, but I was not pregnant. That was one of the hardest times through all of this. We felt so strongly that we needed to do it and go that route, but yet it didn't work. So we left town. We left and went to Jackson Hole to get away from everyone and everything. That was exactly 2 years ago this weekend. When we came back I requested the paperwork from LDS Family Services. I felt that we needed to work on the paperwork at an undaunting pace, because I needed to get my mind on something and off of what just happened. My sister was going through an adoption and brought home their little girl when we got the paperwork in the mail. We met with our caseworker in January, started the amazing classes the next week and had our paperwork done within 2 weeks. We felt this was the next step in our journey together. We were approved April 1 and on the internet by April 10th. Our birthmother started looking at profiles around April 15th. We got a call from our caseworker May 13th that a birthmother wanted to meet with us, she wasn't sure what her plan was for the baby, but knew she wanted to meet with us. We met with her May 16, the day before my birthday, the day that changed our lives forever. The meeting went well, we felt so good afterwards, we were so excited. We came home and really felt that this was our baby, and if she chose us we would have an open adoption with her and her family. This was the longest 3 weeks of our lives! Then on June 9th, our caseworker brought us the good news that we were chosen! We were going to be parents to a little boy who was due in a month. We met with her many more times before the due date for ice cream, lunch, walks, breakfast and just to get to know her. The love we felt for this young woman was undescribable. We barely knew her, but she was amazing. She and I formed a friendship immediately. Then July 10, our angel was born. We had placement on July 11 and that is when we saw our baby for the 1st time. And the rest as they say is history! Adoption is a miracle. Adoption has shown us that Heavenly Father is so aware of all of us and our needs, desires and wishes. Our baby was conceived the exact same time we were going through the last IUI, coincidence? NO WAY. The hand of God is in it every step of the way. We love adoption and want to scream it to the world how wonderful it is. We love our birthmom and her family, they are amazing, loving people. Most importantly, we love our son, he is an answer to prayers and has completed our family in more than words can say. We love Zachary!Check us out at brandonkristin.blogspot.com