Aria’s Adoption Story
Early 2008 We decided to end our attempts at trying to get pregnant through science. We decided we wanted to adopt – and if we got pregnant on our own – as unlikely as it is, this was the path for us. We began the long process of being approved. We worked on paperwork constantly. Doctor visits, fingerprinting, paperwork, paperwork, paperwork.
May 2008 was the first time we met with a girl looking to place her baby she had just had 3 days earlier. She was 14 and her family did not know she had been pregnant. We met with her and her family on a Monday, she had the baby the Saturday before and had just been released from the hospital. We weren’t officially approved but the agency said to go ahead and meet her and that if she picked us, they could rush things on their end. (This did not work out, as she picked a family friend.) This was our first experience and felt it went really well. We learned a lot.
August 2008 was when we went live on our agency’s website. We had a few expectant mothers contact us throughout the coming months. In April we found out that when our agency’s website changed over to a new format, our profile had been missed and not on there – for about 6 weeks! That was immediately fixed and 2 weeks later we received a first contact e-mail from Aria’s birth parents (expectant parents at the time)! May 11, 2009.
Over the course of the time we had talked with 11 expectant mothers. 1 who placed with another couple, 1 who was faking (for attention, not $$ or anything else) and the other 8 chose to parent. This couple felt different. We loved them instantly.
June 23rd was the first time we met face to face. Over the next few months we got to know each other better and better. Through e-mails, night-outs, and such.
August 2nd Our families met together at a big picnic. So great for everyone to meet everyone!
During that next month we got together often. 5 or 6 days before Aria was born they even invited us to a 3D ultrasound! It was so fun to see what she was going to look like (somewhat – it’s hard to really tell) The following days were pretty stressful.
Tuesday, September 1st was a wonderful and crazy day. Aria’s Birth Mom was induced as scheduled. She would text every so often letting us know the status updates. It was so generous of her to do that! It meant so much. It helped us feel a part of the birth of our future daughter. We tried to keep family updated too as they were also anxiously waiting to hear. Around 2:30pm we received a text that she had been born! We were so excited! She said everything went really well with the delivery, and she said it was an amazing experience! We let everyone know right off. Aria's Birth Mom the let us know that she'd like us to wait until the next day to go to the hospital because she'd like to spend this day with her. We understood, but it was hard to know our soon-to-be daughter was about 15 min away!
The next day we were able to go to the hospital and meet Aria for the first time. Her Birth Mother looked great! She had such a glow about her. Aria's birthfather was there too, being very supportive. They told us about the delivery and how things had gone.
Aria was beautiful. More than we could ever imagined. My heart was so full seeing her in her Birth Mom's arms. It was overwhelming, to say the least. She had a cute black and pink bow in her hair. Her eyes were kinda grey-ish. She had a little hair that was so soft! She was very awake and alert to meet us. She was so tiny!
The next day we were able to go to the hospital and meet Aria for the first time. Her Birth Mother looked great! She had such a glow about her. Aria's birthfather was there too, being very supportive. They told us about the delivery and how things had gone.
Aria was beautiful. More than we could ever imagined. My heart was so full seeing her in her Birth Mom's arms. It was overwhelming, to say the least. She had a cute black and pink bow in her hair. Her eyes were kinda grey-ish. She had a little hair that was so soft! She was very awake and alert to meet us. She was so tiny!
We stayed for only a couple hours as they all needed to rest. We would have loved to stay all day! lol. It was really hard to leave her. It was so awesome that we were able to go to the hospital and we'll always be grateful for that opportunity they gave us.
September 3rd we planned to meet at the agency for placement. The agency was just a few min away from the hospital. We knew things would work out, and had confidence deep down about that – but we were still a nervous wreck that maybe things wouldn’t. The plan was to meet at a certain time, that we would arrive after they were there. We were on our way when our caseworker called to tell us they weren’t there yet and that we should go back home or something until she called. It was hard not to panic, but about 15 min later (we just drove around talking during that time frame) we got a call to come in – they were there. Phew!
After they had their time alone there with sweet little Aria we were invited in. The feelings we felt are hard to describe. Here we were so happy to finally be parents, and yet here they were so sad to be saying goodbye to that same role. It was gut-wrenching. We passed Aria back and forth a bit for pictures and things and chatted. Aria’s Birth Mom filled us in on all the things we needed to know. Feeding schedule. She needed a diaper change. When she needed to go back for her PIKU test. She had a little jaundice and would need to go back in. Immunization record. Etc. It was sweet to be getting all that info from her – as she knew best at that point. Aria’s Birth Dad was very quiet through this. My heart ached for him. You could see his love for her too. Not a lot of tears were shed during placement, but afterward is another story. Our caseworker took a few photos for us and finished up some paperwork and we were on our way.
We had walked into the agency as 2, and left as a family of 3. It was overwhelming. It was surreal. I just stared at her the whole way home. I cried. I smiled. I cried a lot more.
Soon after we were home our families came to visit and meet the newest member of our family. It was great! After everyone left and it was just us again, the feeling of it all being a dream started to fade. Aria got a poopy diaper. Drew and I went to change her together and both just broke down crying. Everyone had left, and she was still there. No one took her home, because she’s ours. It was the weirdest feeling. Reality started to set in. Things started to feel real. We just hugged and held her all night.
March 4, 2010 Was our court finalization date. What a wonderful experience. More on that here.
March 5, 2010 We were able to take Aria to the temple with us to be sealed for time and all eternity. I’ll cherish this day for as long as I live. More about it here.
March 6, 2010 Aria’s blessing day. Such a full and exciting weekend.
Aria’s Birth Parents and their Families were at many of the events. It was great to have them there for the Sealing and the Blessing.
Aria is such a light in our lives.
She has such a sweet and loving demeanor, and yet at the same time a very intense and strong-willed personality. Something I admire in her so much.
She has so much about her that I treasure - such as her confidence. She's 2 and she already has so much. If I could only use one word to describe her, it would be capable. She is one of the most capable kids I know. She has such a problem-solving mind. She doesn't let things hold her back and amazes us constantly with all she can already do. She picks up on the things we are teaching her so quickly. We’ll teach her how to do something – and so quickly she’ll have it mastered.
She has such a sweet and loving demeanor, and yet at the same time a very intense and strong-willed personality. Something I admire in her so much.
She has so much about her that I treasure - such as her confidence. She's 2 and she already has so much. If I could only use one word to describe her, it would be capable. She is one of the most capable kids I know. She has such a problem-solving mind. She doesn't let things hold her back and amazes us constantly with all she can already do. She picks up on the things we are teaching her so quickly. We’ll teach her how to do something – and so quickly she’ll have it mastered.
She's fun to be around! We really enjoy spending time with her and playing. She is developing quite a bit of humor and keeps us laughing! I still get excited every morning and afternoon when she wakes up and calls for me. It's like the life of the party just woke up!
We just love Aria's birth families so much. We love the love they have for her too.
