Our Adoption Story: Things Fall Into Place

To read the first part of our adoption story, go here. 

So we continued writing Natalie back and forth over the next several months.  I can honestly say I have never met a more cheerful, positive person than our Natalie.  No matter what was going on in her life, she simply exuded enthusiasm.  We loved hearing from her! 

As a side note, I recently compiled all of the e-mails we had exchanged into a word document.  It was SO fun to read everything we had written back and forth during those months we were getting to know one another.  I am so glad that we have that correspondence to share with Mason one day.  Those e-mails are seriously one of my treasures. 

Anyway, we continued to stay in contact even after Natasha officially selected us, and we were supposedly expecting a baby. 

When things fell apart, our caseworker contacted Natalie’s caseworker to inform her of what had happened to us. 

Upon hearing the news, Natalie wrote us one of the sweetest e-mails we have ever received.  She told us that she was so sorry about what had happened to us and that she wanted to be there to support us as we had supported her.  We were so touched that she would reach out to us. 

A few days after that, my phone rang.  Spencer came running into the room with my phone, saying Natalie was calling.  We had called each other a few times and texted back and forth, so I wasn’t quite expecting what she had to say.

Natalie told us that she knew that everything had happened for a reason.  She told us that she still really wanted us to be the ones to adopt her baby, and that she had prayed about it and knew that it was right.  She said, “I really want to give this baby to you.” 

We started SOBBING.  I kept apologizing to Natalie through my tears for crying so hard, but I simply could not contain myself.  I felt so grateful. 

It was amazing that we had stayed in contact all of those months.  Even more amazing was the fact that Natalie had not found another couple to place with.  She later told us she didn’t know why, but she just couldn’t bring herself to look at other couples.  From the time she found our profile she didn’t look at a single. other. one. 

Natalie’s mom came out to visit her a few times and one of the things on her to do list was to help Natalie find a couple to place with.  It just didn’t happen.  Eventually Natalie’s caseworker said that she would help her look too.  This was only a week or two before things fell apart with Natasha.  She told Natalie to give her a list of things she wanted in an adoptive couple.  Natalie did so.

The funny thing is, that Natalie’s caseworker never got around to looking for other couples.  Every single time she would sit down at the computer to search, she would get interrupted.  An entire week passed without her getting online to look at profiles.  Then she found out we were unexpectedly available.   

I have never before witnessed Heavenly Father’s hand in our life so strongly.  We felt so grateful to Him and to Natalie for the courageous thing she was about to do. 

We continued to talk and plan with Natalie and started to plan a trip to meet her in person…