The Phone Call That Changed Our Lives | My Adoption Story

Thursday, November 12, 2015

The day I thank God my phone was actually charged. Sitting at my desk, I received a phone call that would change so many lives for the better. 

“Traci, hey, it’s (name) from the adoption agency.” This was the first time I’ve been contacted since sending in our application 17 months prior. “Hi!” (secretly dying on the inside). “We’re calling because your application indicated you’re willing to adopt an older child. We have a boy that just turned 4 we’d love for you to meet.” I’m still dying, but possibly on the inside and outside at this point. 

Little did anyone but my husband know, I had an IVF embryo transfer scheduled the next day. You can’t postpone those kinds of things. Do I want to meet this little boy? What if the IVF is successful? I mean, we’ve only been doing fertility treatments for 5+ years at this point. Could we handle a 4 year old AND a potential newborn? What is happening?

“Um, can I call my husband and call you back?“

I called my husband, who semi-reluctantly agreed to even send in the adoption application. He always had more faith than I did that our goal of conception was going to happen. To my surprise, he agreed. Not the easiest of conversations to have on the phone, mid-day Thursday, while we’re both at work. 

Because of the IVF transfer, we were both off of work the next day traveling to my doctor in Baton Rouge, then onto NOLA for the night. What a long, interesting drive full of a million different thoughts. 

On Friday, we had a call with the father of the cradle care family that was hosting the little boy. He’s a physician in Baton Rouge so his insight of what we were getting into was much appreciated. I’ll never forget his words: “he’s an intelligent, healthy child that could really use a lot of love.” I can do that! I can love!

We drove to Baton Rouge on Saturday to meet this little 4 year old, innocent child, clueless as to who we were but certainly not shy. We walked up and introduced ourselves as friends of the cradle care family. He immediately grabbed my husband’s hand and wanted to hang on him. My husband’s reaction was that of a deer in headlights. We spent a few hours visiting and realized this child needed a lot. He could barely speak. Didn’t know a letter, number, color, shape. He’s 4. Those are the basics. He didn’t know the basics. There was more to give than just love. This child needed 100% dedication. 

We left with such a heavy heart and a BIG decision to make. We drove back to Lafayette discussing all of the odds. We agreed on one thing – him going back to the life of hell he was living in was not an option. We drove to Target and purchased all of the things a 4 year old needs. I may have been sweating in those aisles. What does a 4 year old need? 

We drove back to Baton Rouge on Sunday to visit him again. This time, we were allowed to take him with us to the park and for ice cream. This was all really happening. On Monday, we went through finger printing and background checks. We spent the drive back to Lafayette calling our family and friends to let them know “we’re having a baby!” but not quite. I still remember calling my dad. He was at his hunting camp. No time to prepare for this one, but you’re going to have another grandson. Tomorrow. 

On Tuesday, he moved in. 

That was it. 4 days later. We had a son. Of course, there’s a lot of detail, but none of it mattered. He saved us, and we saved him. He fulfilled a forever dream of ours. 

The IVF didn’t work. That was the end of our fertility journey. But what a beautiful ending it has been. I’m forever thankful for that phone call. Forever thankful for my husband’s willingness to consider adoption. Forever thankful for the birth parents that made the decision to let their child have the life he deserves. It’s been a fun journey packed full of the best experiences we could ever imagine.