Our adoption story started when Zach was 18 months old and was diagnosed with cancer in his prostate. As I (Zach) got older, I knew that should I get married and choose to start a family, that adding to my family would need to come through different means, specifically adoption. When we met and began talking about the future, the topic of children came up and we discussed the need to adopt to add to our family. We very quickly agreed that this would be the route we would take for children but were still pretty naïve as to what the process would look like. Since that conversation over 10 years ago, we have been blessed twice through adoption. While choosing adoption was initially because of simply a way to add to our family, we have both become passionate about the ethics of adoption, open adoption, and advocating for adoption within our community.
In 2018, we started the adoption process for the first time and were blessed to bring our first son home. Fast forward to 2021, we started the adoption process for child number 2. This time, it was not as smooth sailing for us. We presented and heard “no” countless times throughout the next two years. As our home study came up for renewal in 2023, we were exhausted and not sure we would renew, but we decided for another year. In late May of that year, we were finally matched with a birth mother in another part of Florida. Our second son was born in July and just turned a year old.
After he was born, our plan was to not add to our family for a few more years. We were also confident that we would not be going through the traditional private adoption process again but would look into potential fostering or other situations that would arise locally. This changed when we received a phone call in late May 2024 from the adoption agency used for our youngest’s adoption. We found out that his birth mother was pregnant and due in December and that she once again would like to place with us. The answer was an easy yes!
Some may say that adding another child to our family would not make sense in our situation. It’s been just a year since adopting our youngest. We still owe over $31,500 on a loan for his adoption. We don’t have funds readily available to pay for this adoption. Financially, we are starting to get ahead on debt and meet our financial goals. Yet, we are fiercely passionate about keeping biological siblings together. After adopting our oldest, we had many conversations about if his birth mother or any future birth mothers would approach us wanting us to adopt a sibling that our answer would be yes, even if it didn’t seem to fit our plans or timing. This is exactly the situation we are facing moving forward. We’ve been asked to adopt a biological sibling and are committed to making that happen for both our son and for his future brother or sister.
With the rising costs of everything, this adoption will cost $69,500 plus traveling expenses that will occur around the due date of December 4th. We already had to take out a $20,000 loan in the short term to secure the match. While we don’t know if it will be the case, we also will not be surprised if baby would come early and could require a NICU stay similar to our son. We have and will continue to fundraise, but have also been blessed by this matching grant. Everything you give up to $15,000 will be doubled by Lifesong for Orphans. We appreciate you supporting our adoption as we strive to raise the remaining amount before baby’s due date!
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 “Showers 11114”, to ensure it is credited to our account. Please mail to Lifesong for Orphans, PO Box 9, 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.
- *3.5% fee for donations given with an American Express card