[angelkisses0102]

I always wanted to adopt...ALWAYS... I had some infertility issues and 3 miscarriages. I decided I could not handle any more lost babies/pregnancies...so we stopped short of IVF. Best decision we ever made. This was also the second marriage for both of us and here we are...at 39 (DH...today ) and me at 40 with a 2 year old and a 4 year old...with my heart set on # 3 in a couple of years...adoption is our best option.

[HollyB]

We had two bio sons and thought we were finished with our family. When the boys were 8 and 12 I really started grieving the thought of never having a daughter. (and I couldn't fathom the thought of another pregnancy) We decided to act on the impulse to adopt an older child. I walked into an agency in March 2003 and asked questions about costs, time, etc. and we went with the path of least resistance, which meant we we sitting in Kathmandu, Nepal with our 3 1/2 year old daughter on Mother's day (May 2003). We waited out the six weeks and were home in June. Decided we wanted one more and the one had a sister and a brother, so, what the hey, we took them all. The Russian adventure was much longer, more emotionally draining, etc., but of course, absolutely meant to be.

[kizibits]

As an unmarried woman, adoption seemed the best way for me to have a family.

[bmarsicano]

Started process when I was married, both had fertility issues, so we started adoption. He wanted a divorce, stopped process for a while, then restarted. Now I'm waiting for a court date to bring my daughter home.

[Kendal]

My husband and I married young. So for years the tought of having a family never crossed our mind. About 5-6 years into our marriage I went off the pill and let nature take it's course. There was never any real explanation for our infertility. Minor stuff with both of us, but nothing most couple have not over come. Did the IVF route 3 times. We were lucky insurance paid for most of it. Never had any success, and honestly I am greatful for that. I would never have my children today and I can't imagine my life any other way. When we decided we wanted another child we went immediately to adoption. Would not recommend IVF to anyone.

[mjkkbbr]

We had 5 pregnancies that led to 2 miscarriages and 3 bio sons, one of which has a serious kidney condition. After our third son we decided not to go through the scary emotional pregnancy process again. I was sad to not have a daughter but was thankful for my sons.

We had talked about adoption after of first miscarriage and know that we would have gone this route for our first had we been unable to naturally conceive.

After 9/11 and a period where work was horrible we decided to have me work less and adopt our daughter.

I truly expected to be done then but here we are adopting child #6 and loving every minute of it!!!!

Jennifer

[Amysue1112]

Other-we chose to adopt because I have some medical problems which would put me at high risk for having a child. It was not worth the risk, with so many children out there that need homes.

[another2]

I was told at age 14 that there was a good chance I'd never have children. At 29, I was told that even if I could get pregnant through infertility treatments, there was at least a 20% chance the child would be born with severe birth defects. Too high a risk for DH and me. I had told him before our marriage about the situation, so we soon started looking into adoption. And here we are, 4 children later (and yes, I'm secretly hoping for more, though DH just laughs and says "NEVER.")

[GCS]

I was researching adopting from China as a single woman before DH and I got married. We got pregnant right away after we married, but talked about international adoption as a way to add to our family.

Our daughter passed away and I was diagnosed with a severe form of HELLP Syndrome. I was lucky to survive and told that I had a 25-50% chance of having the same problem if I got pregnant again. The strain on my organs was too much and they didn't think I would make it if my liver and kidneys stopped again. We didn't even talk about any other options. I got out of the hospital end of October and we announced we were adopting 2 children from Russia to our family that Thanksgiving. The hardest part of our decision was choosing the country.

Christina

[votemom]

other....

my husband and daughter (then 17) went to russia on a mission trip in 2004 to help build playgrounds at three orphanages.

the trip impacted them in a big way. talk about having your world view changed!

i was stunned when they both discussed the possibility of adopting. we already had 3 kids and were moving into middle age.

my husband was so moved by all the older boys that have no father in their lives. i remember him saying, "no parent could ever go there and not be deeply impacted by all those children with no families."

i knew it must be GOD when my daughter was supportive... she had often said growing up that we had too many kids in our family!

we started talking together as a family and praying about what God would have us do.

it didn't take long for all of us to be on the same page.

four out of five of us have been to russia. the fifth one will go with us for court.

[Shay]

I just want to say a BIG thank you for sharing your stories with the rest of us. It is comforting to know how others were drawn to adoption because some may have the same story as yourself.

Whatever the reason for you being drawn towards adoption, it was God's will to put these children in our paths to love forever!

[CeltiaSkye]

I guess you could say I was a late bloomer. DH always wanted kids but was content for me to make up my mind. It wasn't until my father passed away last year that I decided that I was finally ready. By that time I was already in my 40's and didn't want to risk a pregnancy. I've never felt like I was missing something by not being pregnant so we decided that we would rather make a home for an already existing child who needs one.

[tbristow]

I fit into this a couple of ways I guess so here goes... I always wanted a big family. I got pregnant with my oldest dd the first month of trying and had an uneventful pregnancy. Several years later we began trying again. A year later, I went through several tests and a round of fertility drugs to no avail. We began researching adoption. My husband wanted me to have the room ready first. Then came the phone call (he was on the road)...he said that he'd found out that he would have to pay child support on the child if we ever divorced (EXCUSE ME???!!!) and that I could forget it. Long story short, that was May 1994 and I filed for divorce in September. We did reconcile for a little while and low and behold after 4 years of trying and with no outside help came daughter #2. I still had the book from the agency. After the divorce, I took it out looked at it and said, "You never know, "and put it back. I did that through another move and a re-marriage. My 2nd DH and I began trying for a child right after we got married. With what had happened before, my age (as well as his) and the fact that he and his ex had lost their middle child (and only son) to a catastrophic birth defect at birth, I was very worried. DH told me that if it didn't work then we would find a baby that needed us as bad as we needed it. After what had happened with my ex, that scared me to death. That fall, I sent for updated information on the agency that I had kept that book on for so long. DH and I agreed to try until the summer of 2004. He was the one that requested we attend the agency seminar in Dec. 2003 though. Long story short, we filed the application 5 months earlier than planned and here we are. We hope to start proceedings again within the next year or so for child #6. I always wanted a big family and now I get to have one.

As a side note, I thank the Lord I didn't adopt with my ex. He would never have loved an adopted child....how sad that he missed out.

Apparently I was just supposed to be patient because I found a wonderful father first!!

[amanda_p]

Other - I was pregnant and was only able to carry her for 18 weeks. I was diagnosed with Lupus when I was 14 weeks, so there was really no time to save her. I delivered and held her and it was such a surreal experience. Because I didnt want to go through that pain ever again, my husband and I decided to adopt. I had really never thought about adoption before and now it seems like it rules my life I sleep, eat, dream adoption I can not imagine that little boy not in my life. It is so awesome where life takes you!

[votemom]

i really love reading these stories.