On April 1, 2008 our family experienced the joy and privilege of adoption first hand. Our daughter didn’t arrive the natural way with hospitals, doctors, and labor pains. Instead, Emma entered into our family through foster homes, social workers, and long international flights. However, the desire to adopt a child didn’t begin when we first started our paperwork. This was a dream and desire placed in both our hearts long before we were even married. I was in college studying in Shanghai, China when I knew that one day I would adopt a child. Nicole’s desire to adopt began much earlier. Her older brother was adopted and she has always wanted to adopt a child as well.
For us, adoption was clearly God’s idea. It is so much bigger than we are. God placed the desire deep within us and then he brought us together so we could fulfill his plan for our family and our kids. God clearly hand-picked our daughter to join her forever family. No, Emma wasn't born to us like Samuel and Wilson. Yes, Emma was born within us and grew in our heart.
Today we received her updated birth certificate. Emma has been in our family for 9 months. It’s had to believe it’s ONLY been 9 months. It seems like we have raised her from birth. She (like her brothers) have brought much joy and pleasure to our family & are truly a gift from God.
3 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. 4 Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. 5 God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. - Ephesians 1:3-5
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