Our adoption stories - Hannah and Olivia

UPDATED (1/29/11):

So I have a few minutes to add to our adoption story and not make you click on links to read about it.

My husband and I were married in July 2002. We decided we would like to start a family around July 2005. My plans included three kids before age 30. I did come pretty close, I had two kids before 30!

I was 24 at that time. After an unsuccessful year, we did all the tests and we were fine. After another year I had an HSG and my tubes were fine (and my doctor told me I would get pregnant in 6 months. Ha.)

After another (very very painful) year, we decided to pursue adoption. We did not pursue any fertility treatments, other then clomid a couple times. We are completely healthy and we felt that if the Lord wanted us pregnant, we would get pregnant.

In October 2008 we decided to pursue adoption, however at the same time, I underwent a laparoscopic surgery to remove adhesions I had in my abdomen from a massive infection I had from 2004. I had an undiagnosed ruptured appendix (that remained ruptured for about 10 days) that caused and intestinal abcess and then a bowel obstruction the next year. So as a side note, this could be the cause of my infertility. Although my surgeon told me he cleared out all the adhesions, and I would be pregnant in 6 months, I have no idea what ended up happening in my abdomen. I could have created even more scarring from that surgery.

Our homestudy was finalized January 28, 2009. On February 1st we got a call that a two day old baby girl was waiting for us at the hospital.

That was Hannah.

Then Olivia was somewhat of a suprise adoption also.

We shall see what happens with our third adoption.

We are so grateful that got to experience the miracle of these two baby girls. I don't want to minimize the pain of their birth moms either though. Adoption is complicated, sometimes it's messy. But know what? Life is messy. I don't know many people that have lives that is wrapped up nicely with a bow. Sometimes life is really hard. Infertility is really hard. Adoption doesn't make infertility go away. Hannah and Olivia will experience feelings I will never understand. All we can do is move through this life knowing that the Lord has planned this for us. The eternal perspective that is really hard sometimes. Knowing that I will never experience childbirth is sometimes hard to grasp. But I've said time and time again, when I stand at the foot of the Throne of God, will I care? Will I care that my eye color has not been passed down? Will I care that I didn't grow life in my tummy? Nope.

Matt and I pray every day that we can pass down that perspective to our kids. We pray that they understand their birth moms made this decision out of love. We pray our kids understand that life is messy, but wonderful and that they are loved. By their birth families, their adoptive families and their Heavenly Father. Above all, we pray they come to know the Lord.

I'm sure you've heard of Kelly's Korner Blog. Who hasn't? I check it every once in a while and this morning saw she was doing an adoption link up. Of course I had to jump all over that. The unfortunate thing is that I have to work this afternoon. I normally work full days on Fridays but with Hannah's breathing treatments, I took the morning off, as her babysitters are Amish on Fridays and they don't have electricity. They will go to Nana and Papa's house this afternoon.
Also, I don't get on the computer while the girls are awake. Both of them have a weird magnetism to a computer screen and get all up in my grill when I try to even open my laptop. They are both currently trying to get me to hold them and are whining and pulling down my pants this very moment.
I think I have left out a lot of details regarding our infertility story, but alas, that must wait for another day. For now, I will just put in the links to some of our stories and decisions and feelings about adoption.
If you hang around my blog for a while, I think you'll get the picture of how we feels about adoption:)
Hannah's story, Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5
Olivia's story, Part 1, Part 2, Part 3
Some adoption thoughts, here, here, here, here.

That's a lot of links. At some point on this post, maybe after the weekend (cause it's going to be a ca-razy weekend with a sweet one turning 2 on Sunday and my parents coming for a few days), I've been thinking about posting the verses we pray for our little ones, and the books we have found helpful raising children of a different race.

So both of my girls are freaking out now and crying and tearing things up. Why?