Love is What Makes a Family

“If there’s a cause worth fighting for, it’s this: children belong in families.” — Nicole Skellenger

I felt the call to adopt my whole life. When our biological son, Court, turned 18 months, the timing was perfect and my heart’s desire to adopt became overwhelming and was soon the main thing on my heart and mind. 

We wanted kids that would grow up close in age and ultimately provide a best friend for each other, so the timing felt right! Everything we had heard about the adoption process told us it would take quite a bit of time and waiting, so we hit the ground running and started the process for our home study and signed with an adoption consultant group soon after. 

We expected to be potentially waiting for our child for years, but God had other plans for our little family. Just four months after starting our home study, we got the call that a baby boy had just been born and needed a forever family. The question that changed our lives forever was asked to me over the phone, during a church service, (on adoption Sunday, no less!): would we like to present our family as an option to his birth mother? 

The prayers and tears that immediately ensued were intense as we waited for God's guidance for our family. Lots of fervent prayer and studying of scripture led us to give a resounding YES to our case worker. We got the precious call less than an hour later, that the sweet little 8 pound, dark olive-skinned, beautiful baby boy, was OURS. Less than 24 hours after that, we were on a flight to Utah to meet our new son!

The tears of joy that streamed down our faces when I held my sweet Dean Tyler were as pure and joyful as the tears I had upon meeting my two biological babies at their birth. Adoption is love. Love is what makes a family, not blood or lineage, but the choice to love these little humans unconditionally.

God had bigger plans for our family than we could have even dreamed of on our own, when He entrusted us with Dean and our two biological children. I’m thankful every single day for all three of my beautiful babies - Court, Dean, & Darcy. 

My Tiny Tags necklace is a beautiful reminder of how my family's story came to be. Every time my necklace jingles when I wear it I’m reminded of each of them & say a prayer of thanks.

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” — James 1:17