Have you ever met people who became a family, in part because of how other people did their holiday shopping? Take a look at our picture above, because that is our story.
My husband, Ryan, and I began our adoption journey in early 2020. After researching and praying through avenues to grow our family, we felt an overwhelming peace about pursuing private infant adoption through Deaconess Pregnancy and Adoption. There was just one big glaring issue: finances!
Private adoptions are overwhelmingly expensive. We knew God was leading us to this, but we could not fathom how we would afford it. We began the arduous process of filling out mountains of paperwork, setting up home studies, and creating the required adoption profile books. Simultaneously, we began doing fun little fundraisers and filling out our application for the Karis Adoption Fund - a fund that makes adoption more affordable for families of faith.
We were told that once we finished all the formalities, our adoption profile would open and that the average wait time for a child was 6 months to 2 years. We were praying fervently that we could save and raise enough financially to be prepared for a baby. What happened next was anything but expected!
On July 16, 2020, our adoption profile was officially opened so a birth mom could choose us to be her child’s adoptive parents. It was the perfect timing for us because we were spending the week at my parents house with my whole family - aka LOADS of distractions from the monumental decision we had just made.
One day later, on July 17th, our lives were changed forever…but we had no idea. We woke up and got ready with my family to take professional family pictures. We had a great day of games and long chats. We went to bed, praying for our unknown future birth mom and baby. We prayed we would be chosen quickly so we could add a sweet baby into these fun family days.
The next morning, we were making breakfast with my family when I got a call from Deaconess Pregnancy and Adoption. “Hey Hailey, is Ryan around? Are you sitting down?”
Ryan and I raced back to a bedroom and were all ears. A woman let us know that she was with a birth mom and dad who had chosen us to be the parents of their little girls. Twins. Two of them! Born yesterday. YESTERDAY. “They are in Tulsa and their names are Molly and Mia. Would you like to pick their middle names?...How fast can you get there to meet them and sign the adoption papers?”
WHAT? Our heads were spinning. We were overjoyed and overwhelmed. The next few days/weeks/month are a beautiful blur. Our precious girls were in the NICU for their first 3 weeks. While we were navigating the NICU life and then heading home with tiny infants and mounting costs to pay, the Karis adoption board was meeting behind the scenes and reviewing our case to see how they could support us. Within weeks, Karis matched all the money we had raised and got it to us!
To date, the Karis Adoption Fund has helped make the adoption of over 175 children financially possible! Those are not just numbers; they are families like ours.
We are so thankful for the gift of the Karis Adoption Fund and how they cared for us in a time of need. And we are grateful for The Gift Goes On, Council Road’s upcoming annual purchasing-for-a-purpose event whose proceeds are the fund’s largest contributor.
When was the last time your holiday shopping changed a life? Well, now it can! Do your Christmas shopping at The Gift Goes On on Tuesday, November 15 and help make a family like ours. For info, see www.thegiftgoeson.com.
We LOVE the Karis Adoption Fund and The Gift Goes On!
P.S. - Yes, my mom was livid that we took full family pictures the day BEFORE we got the girls. But, she couldn’t be too mad as she snuggled her new grandbabies.
Meet the Author!
Hailey Melton is a mom of twin girls and wife to Ryan. Throughout the week, you might find her at Harvey Bakery downtown, tutoring with Whiz Kids at the CUBE, helping lead a young adult connection class, growing in the Word with her home group, or serving as a home health Occupational Therapist in others’ homes around the City. Hailey loves open conversations over coffee, quality time with her people, and international travel.