Our Adoption Story
Our adoption story begins with a life changing situation in June, 2006. My husband Andrew had a spinal fusion that left him infertile. We really could not believe the situation but knew that we serve a Lord that has a perfect plan and would strengthen and help us. Almost immediately we felt ourselves being led toward adoption and felt very content with the path ahead of us. Now we just had to decide from where, how old, etc.! After a great deal of prayer and talking with one another, God put Ethiopia on our hearts and an older child even perhaps a sibling group. We began our homestudy process in Jan. 2008 and were very excited and very scared at the same time. We finished the homestudy in May and by the end of June we had picked Gosaye. Gosaye was a 7 year old boy with what was said to be a minor hip issue. Let the journey begin!
When we decided to adopt, we never could have imagined how it would grow us
even before Gosaye came home. Both Andrew and I are not the most patient people,
we like things done quickly and efficiently so when we ended up being the longest
case our agency has ever had for Ethiopia that changed things. Our first court
date was July 31, 2008 and our agency said 80% of cases are approved the first
time around, declined; then began monsoon season so the courts closed until
October. Our next court dates came in October then November then December, all
declined. The next date was in February and again, it was not looking hopeful.
By this time we thought when we got Gosaye he may be coming with his wife and
kids! Surprise, the court date was approved and we had 4 weeks to plan everything
and get ready to go over and pick him up. Needless to say, our patience had
grown.
We left for Ethiopia on March 15, 2009 and arrived there on Tues. the 17th.
It was a very long flight and the suspense was overwhelming. We desperately
wanted to meet our new son. We went to his orphanage the day we got there and
it was like the wait had never even occurred. We saw Gosaye and it was amazing.
This was our son who we had waited patiently to meet and life was about to change
forever. Yet God was not done growing us, we were given his hip x-rays and WOW,
what a mangled mess. Gosaye walked with a cane and his left foot turns in. When
he got his first bath I was taken back by the scars covering his hip and leg.
Obviously, we were going to have to get him into our orthopedic surgeon ASAP.
Upon leaving Ethiopia we asked him if he wanted to bring his cane and he laughed
and said no. We went to the doctor as soon as we got home and he said, Gosaye
is missing his growth plate in the hip and has bone rubbing bone so he referred
us to Children's Hospital in Milwaukee. We have our appointment April 6th.
In closing, we could not have imagined how wonderful bringing our son home could
be. We feel honored God believes in us and thinks we are capable of taking care
of Gosaye. A Child Waits Foundation
played a huge role in our ability to afford adoption. Andrew is a teacher and
I have a small pet grooming business, we live on a very tight budget. It was
amazing to see God facilitate this adoption and provide funds to us, it is a
miracle. We are so thankful and feel so blessed. We know that Our Lord is going
to continue to help us and strengthen us in the future. This has been a very
challenging process but has been so worthwhile, we are anxious to see how God
uses us in His plan for the rest of our time here. May God Bless and keep you
all.
Thank You,
The Selgrads
