We had been told that our home study would be good for a year and the portfolio we had created with love would be presented to birth mothers if we fit some of the criteria. We knew from following the attorneys, that sometimes that criteria was very specific. It had been eye opening to see so many people turned away from a possible baby because they didn’t meet the race, age, religion or marital status that the birth mother had chosen. My heart often broke for those that longed for their baby, those willing to go to incredible costs and distance to meet their child. I found myself praying for lots of people I didn’t know, who just desired to fill their home with a child. I still get incredibly emotional thinking of their wait and their journey in faith.

On April 3, 2014 at 9:06pm, we got that call. THE call! We had been chosen by a birth mother. When my cell phone rang that night, while watching TV with my husband and oldest son Isaac, I didn’t recognize the phone number. I answered anyway. It was the social worker from our adoption agency. My heart jumped. I mouthed to Tony, “BABY”. I knew before she told me.

I put her on speaker phone and she proceeded to tell us about a “situation”. I couldn’t believe it when she started; she told us a baby girl was due on May 21 ^st ! Automatically I knew that was our girl. That is the date I used to always say I wanted a little girl (back before our youngest boy was born), because we have four friends with that birthdate, and they are all the sweetest people ever. I literally used to say ” I want a baby girl born on May 21st”. It is a little embarrassing to admit that I would make such a statement. But like the rest of this blog, I am pouring out my deepest, most private thoughts and fears. And through this I have learned that God loves to take those weaknesses and nuances and own them, make them His, make them Good. He chose this detail, to make it part of her story, to show how much he listens and cares, I do believe!

Then the social worker told us about the birth mom. How she originally wanted a family with one child, but she lit up when she read our book because she “knew she would be the princess” in our boy dominant family. How right she was! When I made that book, that is the exact sentiment I wanted her to feel. The social worker went on to tell us about her prenatal care and medical choices. She told us that we would like her birth mom because she is “sweet”. We set up time to meet the birth mother for a week later. I had been waiting a long time for this call, but that next week seemed like an eternity…