I am giddy to share with you my friend Kelly Briscoe’s story about adoption today for so many reasons. One, I know so many people that God has called them to adopt and this helps me understand how to support them better, as well as empathize better about their journey. Secondly, her story encourages me in my faith, and I know it will yours too. Kelly, thank you for sharing and being open about the calling God gave you. Here’s What It’s Like to go through the adoption process.
I am so truly honored to share with you what it’s like to go through the adoption process. There are so many amazing mamas and mamas to be through adoption and I pray that I can do them all justice.
Adoption.
There’s so much depth in the word adoption.
I knew from a very young age that adoption was going to be part of my story. I’ve felt crushed for it for a long, long time. The Lord has always had it on my heart and now I know why.
When I was dating my husband, Britt, I told him that adoption was something I knew was in my future and he knew it would be something we would do, we just weren’t sure when. He and I both knew the expenses would be more than we could handle when we first got married. We decided about 2 years after being married that we wanted to try to have bio children. Turns out, the reason the Lord had always crushed my heart for adoption was because that was the way He wanted us to grow each little one that would come into our family. I love that so much. He had prepared my heart for adoption in more ways that I can count and that makes me giddy.
Britt and I decided in April of 2017 to begin the adoption process. We knew going in it would be a few things: expensive, long, trying. We had no idea what it would bring and it still surprises me each day, even after bringing our girl home. I thought I knew, and actually I’m glad with how much I’ve learned.
After a lot of Googling, researching, and calling, we decided a consulting agency (that many had recommended) was the direction we felt lead to take. We felt like that was a huge hurdle to jump.
The homestudy was next. The ball was kind of in our court for this and I feel like it took the longest. The paper work. Do I have all of the right documents (yes, you do)? Are they going to approve us (yes, they will)? Is my house in the best shape of all time (yes, you’ll be just fine). We felt such a huge relief mailing our finally homestudy off. Getting the homestudy approval means you’re officially a waiting family!
When we got approved – it was such an amazing feeling. We made and completed our profile book that was going to be shown to potential birth families. That was such an emotional process. 16 pages of us. I truly loved putting it together. We included a letter to our potential birth mama and we prayed over each beautiful woman who would hold our book. We wanted her to know what was loved and chosen by the one and only.
So profile book done, paperwork done – it was time to start presenting to potential birth mamas. After talking with our agency, we were anticipating waiting for a good while before hearing “yes, they chose you.” We were sure it would be a while, so we prepared and fundraised (I could talk about this all day because GOD SHOWED UP). We got our first case the day after we went active. Seeing the e-mail come through lead to a rush of emotions!! We praised God because it felt like we would never get there, but here we were, stalking our e-mails, praying like crazy, and soaking it all in. People ask me all the time how I knew when it was time to say yes to a case. I actually don’t know. I just felt this feeling. So we said yes. We got a call at 8:30pm from our consultant on a Wednesday night. “Mama C picked you!!!” And then tears and tears and more tears. Freaking out. Then more tears. Our baby girl, Eleanor Faye was reality.
Let me tell you one thing to NEVER take for granted in the adoption process. The amazing birth mama, our Mama C. Think about the gift (no really, sit and think) and tell me they’re not completely amazing. This beautiful woman read our book and decided we would be the ones to raise the baby that she would birth. Not only that – she would allow this family to be in the room when this tiny babe came into the world. She would let this family cut the cord from her to her baby. Lord Almighty can only write that story. We’re so crazy in love with our birth mama. God gave us each other. We’re so thankful He did.
Adoption is truly something else. Something that’s hard to describe but so amazing. There’s only one who could knit such a stunning story and process. One Heavenly Father that would bring two families together. One God that would know this is what our hearts need. Not just a daughter to hold, but a birthmother to love, a community to cherish, and a God to thank and praise each day. It brought us so much further in our faith and I am so in awe of that.
So here’s what I suggest if you’re thinking about the adoption process:
- Take the time and really listen to what the Lord is saying.
- Pray like you’ve never prayed before.
- Find your people. Trust me when I say that you need people that understand what you’re going through. Even if it’s just one person. Find them. Don’t let them go.
- If you hear Him say yes, don’t ignore it. Be kinda scared, but listen like it’s your job. Don’t turn Him down. He’ll make it happen – you just need to say yes.
- Be the light of the Lord in all that you do during the process.
Starting or being in the adoption process can be intimidating, scary, amazing. If you have questions or just need to chat, please feel free to reach out to me. I would be so honored kellyhallbriscoe (at) gmail.com.
Born and raised in the great state of Georgia, Kelly grew up loving sun scorching summers and star filled skies. By the grace of God, she married my soul mate and best friend in 2011 and life has been non-stop since. She and her husband recently adopted their long-awaited baby girl, Eleanor Faye in November 2017. She loves the Lord, donuts, crow’s feet wrinkles, and talking about all things adoption.
PS – Don’t miss a thing with this series! Follow along on Facebook and Instagram to catch each of the upcoming stories! I absolutely LOVE connecting with each of you!
PPS – If you’re ever looking for a devotional on living life while in a waiting season, check out the devotional I co-authored called ‘In the Wait’!
PPPS – Check out the other contributions from this series, including What It’s Like: to experience multiple IVF cycles, raise a child with special needs, use an egg donor, be a DIY-er and home style blogger , be a NICU nurse, Live fully in singleness while still hoping for marriage, suffer with endometriosis. experience depression, start a company, have a micro preemie, lose a parent, be childless not by choice, have a spouse with a chronic illness, fund raise for fertility treatments, have a traumatic birthing experience,take a natural route with infertility, and be a vlogger. Stay tuned for many other amazing topics to come every Tuesday and Friday here!
Trials Bring Joy 