The Adoption Option

Ever since we've been married, the one thing we've wanted most is children. Early on in our marriage we were told by several doctors that conceiving a child of our own would be difficult, if not impossible. However, five years into our marriage and without any medical intervention we found out that we were pregnant with our miracle baby. His days were numbered though, and he spent only a short 41 weeks with us before he left to become one of God's little angels. It's been over two years since his birth and we still remain without any living children. We know that fertility treatments give many couples options now, but our faith and the Catholic Church teaches against the use of many of those methods. That only leaves us with one other option, the adoption option.

We've been thinking a lot more about adoption these days. Growing older, albeit some would argue that we are still relatively young, puts a new perspective on our lives. One of the many reasons we moved to Connecticut was to simplify our lives and get our finances in order, but the thought of adoption and it's price tag of well into the tens of thousands of dollars looks more like a distant dream than a possibility.

One of the recurring themes in our prayer is our prayer for children, but it has always been just that, a prayer for children. We are growing in our spirituality these days so we've learned lately that it's not enough to pray for an answer, but that we have to listen to what that answer is, even if it is not how we wanted it. Of course we want our own children, what couple wouldn't? But eight years into our marriage now we are beginning to wonder if we are even listening to God's answer and praying for His will in this situation. After all, having a whole house full of our biological children would not be a blessing if we didn't follow the path God wanted us to take.

So right now we are sitting still and listening— still learning about all of our options, but doing it with an open mind and an open heart. God knows our wants, but He is also the only One who truly knows our needs. So we'll pray, wait, and listen.