"Mommy - 2 is good.”"Two what" I asked. "Two kids for you. That's what I want for my birthday this year". "You better pray hard for that, Teagan. Because I don't think that's happening any time soon", I replied. "It costs a few hundred dollars for an abortion, and in Sarasota County, for every 2 live births there is 1 abortion. "Only 33% of Americans consider adoption. 79% of those families are concerned about the costs, which is the biggest deterrent. Less than 2% of those familes actually adopt. As you can see, our adoption will cost about $30,000. A typical adoption grant is only $2,000-$5,000. Thank you for taking the time to read our story - it is crazy, long, up and down, special, but above all, blessed. When we stepped out in faith to adopt our daughter, God opened amazing doors, so we are trusting him yet again to do an outstanding thing in our lives, and in the life of the child that we have yet to meet; So it began.... Nehemiah and I met in 2000. Our parents, as well as the 9 of us kids became fast friends through church. As Nehemiah traveled during his time in the USMC, and while I studied in high school and started college, we maintained a close friendship. And in 2004, we fell in love and wanted to get married! Nehemiah sold all he had and moved to Florida to be with me and our families. And so we tied the knot in late 2006. That's the easiest part of our story to tell. The rest is messy. But God can work with messy. He turns it into something beautiful.We started to try for kids right away. We wanted to be young parents with a big family, like the ones we each grew up with. Not so easy. We tried and tried. But everyone said “don't worry” (including our doctors), “you're young and healthy”, “It will happen”. It never did. Nehemiah began traveling with his job making it all the more diffcult to get pregnant. Shortly after at a routine check at the OB-GYN, it was discovered that I had numerous ovarian cysts. We were told that I needed to schedule surgery right away. It was overwhelming. After the procedure, we were given more devastating news. In addition to extreme PCOS (Poly-cystic ovarian syndrome), I also had endometriosis. Bad. So we tried hormones, and other kinds of methods, but to no avail. Nehemiah also sought help only to find that his sperm count was low. We were even more disheartened.Our outlook was bleak at best for ever getting pregnant. To remain positive we leaned on each other trying all the while to maintain control and composure. Meanwhile, all of our friends seemed to be starting families of their own . And still all we could say was, Why God? Why not us? In late 2009, we moved back to Sarasota where all our family was, and Nehemiah started his own business here. I went to work as a full time nanny, still the thought of having a family was never far from our minds. At church, we were encouraged to seek God and His will for us, encouraged to let God control things, and not ourselves. So we began listening and letting go. And we heard from God - loud and clear. Looking back, it is amazing to see all that God did to bring us our precious daughter. We were going to get our little miracle, but in a way that we never imagined.The pastor spoke one Sunday on Ephesians Chapter 1 - "In love, he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of His will...” ADOPTION. Never really gave it much thought until that day. First sign from God. While we were beginning to reach our wits end, we starting to really give the ache in our hearts to God. Then Nehemiah was asked a huge favor - to drive his business partner's dying father back home to South Dakota to be with his family. While there, he got to know this family during the worst time possible – just as we were trying to start a family, they were losing part of theirs. But God had a plan. Nehemiah shared our story with them. When he left, his business partner said " Thanks for bringing my Dad home to say good-bye and for bringing our family together. We wanted to give you something to start your family." God spoke to us again. We began getting information on adoption. We had a friend over for brunch who worked for a local adoption agency. I learned I was too young to adopt through her agency, but “Just fill out the paper work” she said. “Who knows!” she said. A step of faith. God, again, in control - He works all things together for good for those who love Him (Romans 8:28). The lawyer that started this non-profit agency recognized a name at their quarterly board meeting. "Nehemiah Thomson? Sarasota? There's only one of those in this town. I know this family!" - Turns out she and her boys had grown up with his family! Although I was too young, she said "Put it through - I can vouch for them." And so there was the third indication from God. So we used the money that we were gifted to begin the process. A home study, FBI checks, and a “Dear Birthmother” book were done. And so was our money. And after we turned in our paperwork, we got a call the very next week from the agency - A young woman who wanted us to adopt her unborn daughter. We were shocked - of course we would. But we had none of the money for the other fees. Still we trusted in God, took another step of faith, and went ahead with the process. We applied for grant after grant, and waited. Just a month later we got the phone call - together we rushed to the hospital.Our daughter had been born. Only 3 months from when we started this whole process! She was so small and precious - a very little miracle indeed - at just 4 lbs. 12 ozs. Still we had 48 hours to wait - either we got to take her home, or her birth mother could change her mind. Our biggest leap of faith yet. But we trusted in God - He had cleared this path to her, and we were content in His timing and His will. Quick Baby shower? Check. Crib? Check. Preemie clothes washed? Check. Diapers? Check. And on Sunday afternoon, we took home our little girl, Teagan Natalie. God is good. So very good. However, we no longer qualified for grant monies after Teagan was born and already living with us, so our faith grew even stronger because we were trusting God with the remaining adoption fees. Over the next few months we held a yard sale, made payments and borrowed money from family members (as a typical young middle class couple, we don’t have $20,000 just sitting in the bank) until we were able have her adoption finalized. We have been more than content with just the 3 of us - she is amazing. Life is great. It's easy, and comfortable. Then God began to give us signs all over again. One night, not long ago, God woke me up - this time He said "Pray for your Son". So I prayed for my future son in law. And God said again "NO, YOUR SON." So, this time, we have decided to listen to His voice – right away. Because of how God works, we want to start now to fundraise to adopt our son. We know that he is waiting for us, and we believe that when we trust God to take care of it all, and get out of His way, He can do more than we can dream of. And this verse is what we have prayed over in stepping out in faith again: "Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more that all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us." Eph. 3:20 We know we are being led to walk through this once again, and step out of our comfortable lives and into an emotional and financial whirlwind where He is in control. Your prayers are always needed, but if you would be willing to give out of your hearts, we would be doubly blessed. So in essence, here is what we are praying for: Cost Retainer: $1050 Home-study Fee: $1500 Database Fee: $1000 Birthmother Match Fee: $11,500 Placement of Baby: $8,000 Birthmother Expenses: $(Undetermined) Legal Fees: $3,500 Thank you for your donation – it will change our lives, and the life of a little boy who is waiting for his forever family.
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