Hello there!! We are the Dunns. It is with heavy hearts that we announce our 3rd failed adoption. We cannot express how often this process has brought us to our knees and how many tears have been shed over this journey to become parents. We are hopeful knowing that God is preparing the perfect child for us but we have exhausted our financial funds. Not only do we experience an emotional loss but also a financial loss, which makes putting the pieces back together even harder. We humbly ask each of you to give if able and continue to pray for us through our journey!
Please take the time to read through our story!!!!
The journey to parenthood has been very hard for us. We have been married for 11 years but knew within the first couple years of marriage, we wanted to start a family! We tried for over 8 years to conceive including fertility treatments for over 3 years. A big factor in our journey was the struggle with fertility post cancer treatments that Heather went through at an earlier age. We knew that we may face some hurdles when it came to growing our family, but we were not quite prepared for the roller coaster journey that followed.
We went through IVF and 3 subsequent embryo transfers, which ended in miscarriage and ectopic pregnant. Naturally this was a devastating loss. We spent the New Year in the hospital learning that we would not likely be able to carry a child.
We were constantly in prayer asking God to guide and direct our decisions. We often think that we know what is best for our lives and it is so hard to determine God’s will versus our wants. I can say, without a doubt, it was the struggles that we faced with infertility, where God revealed HIS will for adoption. In the moment, you have no idea why these “bad things” happen to you, but in reality, God uses those difficult moments for His glory. We may never know or understand why, but God chooses to reveal the reasons in His timing.
Adoption is a beautiful picture of what God did for us here on Earth.
Ephesians 1:5-7 states, “He predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.”
God has adopted each one of us into His family and loves us as His own. We can paint the beautiful picture of Christ and show His never ending love to a child who is fatherless. What an incredible honor that is for us. Although it took several hurdles and bumps along the way, God has shown both Shawn and I that we are meant to grow our family through adoption and we cannot be more proud or excited.
We are now humbly asking to not only share our excitement and joy, but also to ask for your prayers and petitions as we await the arrival of Baby Dunn and finalize our adoption to bring baby home. The estimated cost of our adoption will be anywhere from $40,000-50,000. This cost includes agency fees, adoption paperwork, birth mother expenses, home study, and legal fees. That’s certainly money we do not have; but as we have prayed for God’s calling to adopt, God has also called us to trust Him throughout the process, including finances. We have already paid 1/3 of the total cost. Our church family at Brainerd Baptist Church has partnered with Lifesong for Orphans and committed an Adoption Matching Grant of $5,000 to help pay our adoption expenses. Will you please consider making a tax-deductible donation to help us meet not only this matching grant but also help cover the remaining adoption expenses to bring Baby Dunn home?
We greatly appreciate all of your love, prayers, support, and friendship. Please pray with us for patience as we continue to wait, strength in moments of fear, and God’s guidance through the continued process.
STRIPE charges an online processing fee (2.2% +.30 USD per transaction). Your donations will be decreased by this amount. You may also send a check payable to “Lifesong for Orphans”. In the memo line please write “Dunn 8147”, to ensure it is credited to our account. Please mail to Lifesong for Orphans, PO Box 40, Gridley, IL 61744.
Lifesong has been blessed with partners who underwrite all U.S. administrative and fundraising costs (TMG Foundation and other partners). That means 100% of your donation will go directly to the adoption.
- In following IRS guidelines, your donation is to Lifesong for Orphans. This organization retains full discretion over its use, but intends to honor the donor’s suggested use.
- Lifesong is a 501(c)3 tax exempt organization. Individual donations of $50 or more and yearly donations totaling $250 or more will receive a tax-deductible receipt. Receipts for donations under $50 will gladly be sent upon request.