Wednesday, November 12, 2014

Our Adoption Story: Guest Post from Little Things + Big Stuff

A few months ago, a woman had a vision of a community where bloggers that loved Jesus could come together to share ideas, collaborate, and talk of their relationship with Christ in one common space. I was just introduced to this space a little over a week ago, but in just a week, I have felt like I have gained hundreds of true friends. People that have similar beliefs and values and are some of the sweetest souls I have ever met. Through this beautiful community, I met Natalie (who is also a former Missouri girl) and learned of her Adoption Story. Her testimony is truly remarkable and inspiring, and I invited her to guest post on New Home, New Name, New Adventure to share her story with all of you. If any of you are going through something similar or have a story about adoption, please comment below. We'd love to hear from you! And without further ado, here's Natalie's Adoption Story!

Photo credit: Aubrey Renee Photography

At the ages of 24 and 25 with a lot of student debt, my husband and I decide to begin an international adoption. We had been married only six months.

I've had a long-term interest in adoption and foster care after following the blog of a family friend as she honestly shared about the joys and challenges of the adoption process and life as an adoptive family. After only about two months of dating, I shared this interest with my then-boyfriend. I knew it would be a deal-breaker if he wasn't interested in adoption as a primary means to building a family. Thankfully, he was totally on board, and the strong feelings I already had for him deepened.

We got married several months later, and started the adoption process. Hopeful, nervous, and super excited. The plan was to adopt one newborn between the ages of birth to six months old from a country in Central Africa. At that time, the process took about a year start to finish. (You're already laughing, right? The plan never goes as planned!) We had a slight understanding of the challenges we might face, but we were ready to handle whatever God brought us through.

A few months later, we joyfully accepted a referral for twin six-month-old boys. Though everything went as expected the first several months, we hit some challenges and delays soon after. The plan not going as planned messed me up. I was scared and disappointed and angry at my husband for no good reason. But God continued to pursue me through it, and I learned to accept the peace and patience He was trying to offer me all along.

It's more than two years later now. We've moved, we've gotten new jobs, we've gotten a dog, and I've experienced a major health scare. Our sons are still not in our home. We remain committed to them and committed to understanding every detail available to us about their lives before they come into our home. We also remain committed to adoption as a primary family-building method. We have a strong desire to learn how to even more effectively parent adopted children.


Photo credit: Natalie Seitz

And, really exciting: We recently shared our plans to pursue a concurrent domestic adoption! It's been something we've prayed about for a couple of years now, as all types of adoption have always been on our minds. For a while, we weren't hearing a clear answer from God. We just couldn't believe we'd have room in our hearts for the spectrum of emotions that comes with a commitment to adoption. But He's made us believe the risk is worth it. So, we are now happily committed to growing our family tree to include three children and two brave birth families.

I feel a lot of peace as I consider the ways our lives are nothing like how we planned yet still fully within the plans God had all along. He has been good to us. ...

Photo credit: Natalie Seitz

In the past few years, I've worn ragged a t-shirt from Light Gives Heat that says "There Is Beauty In Risk." I recently contacted the organization to see if they minded if we designed our own version, and they generously shared the original design with us. We're selling the shirts as a reminder to ourselves and others that the risk is beautiful! View and order "There Is Beauty In Risk" t-shirts here.

Photo credit: Natalie Seitz


Photo credit: Natalie Seitz
Natalie is a part-time social worker and adoptive mama. She lives with her husband and dog in Indianapolis, and she blogs about adoption, foster care, faith, marriage, and home at little things + big stuff.












*********************************************************************************
Make sure to continue following her story and get one of those beautiful t-shirts! What a great reminder everyday to take risks and live life to the fullest! You can also find Natalie at:


 photo blog2_zpse65e9159.png

No comments:

Post a Comment

Your comments make my day! I look forward to hearing from you! -Gen

Much Love!

Much Love!

Share