Avast! Me heart be filled with glee fer takin' in a treasured sixth scallywag. Me dear wife's courage be guidin' me own path o' discovery!
2023-11-29
Arrr, me hearties! 'Tis the month o' National Adoption, observed in the fine November. Gather 'round, me friends, as I regale ye with a tale o' how a wee lad, so precious, joined our merry crew and became kin to our beloved kinship.
In the language of a 17th-century pirate, I'll never forget the little feet on the cold floor, tottering towards me and me wife as we eagerly awaited meeting our three-year-old son for the first time. Arrr, our emotions be surging - excitement, nervousness, gratitude, disbelief, joy. But I also felt a tinge of sadness and even guilt, knowing we could have missed out on this precious moment if it weren't for me incredible wife, Sarah, and the words a priest shared at a retreat: "What be the thing in yer life that defines ye, yer 'yes'?"For years, Sarah had a special, persistent longing to adopt a child with an extra chromosome in their DNA, one of the thousands of children overseas who be orphaned. But at first, I resisted this beautiful idea. We already had five incredible children, and I be unprepared to embrace the responsibilities of adoption, especially of a child with a so-called 'disability'. Me mindset was flawed, I be lettin' fear overcome me.
Sarah's bravery helped me find me own. She asked me to pray and reflect upon her desire to embrace a child in need. And at a men's prayer retreat, the question resonated with me. I knew I had to say 'yes'. So, Sarah resigned from her job and we embarked on the long, tedious, and expensive adoption process.
But we weren't alone. The community rallied behind us with support, encouragement, and assistance. Grants and gifts poured in, and even Bree's Gift, an adoption foundation, pledged to cover the rest of our dues. And then we saw a picture of a sweet baby boy in Serbia with innocent eyes and a happy smile. We knew he was our son.
After a grueling wait, we finally brought our son, Rex Stefan, home on Valentine's Day. He stole our hearts and mended them in ways we never knew possible. He completes our family and has made it more perfect than we could've imagined. Rex is thriving, and we believe that the beauty of adoption is our best 'yes' of all time.
During this November adoption month, we feel compelled to share our story and raise awareness of the joy and love that children with Down Syndrome bring. They deserve boundless love, just like any other child. And we're grateful every day that we said 'yes' to Rex. Arrr!