Adoption Story: Tim + Alli — Something Beautiful Here

As an Adoption Consultant with CAC, I have the honor and privilege of guiding families through the adoption process. In 2020 Tim and Alli welcomed home their first son with our assistance. I was honored to work with them for their 2nd adoption that led them to their sweet daughter, Tessa. Alli and Tim, it brought my heart so much joy to see God’s plans unfold for your beautiful family! Today Alli shares the joys and trials that led them to their children. If you are struggling with the wait that comes with the adoption process, I know her words will be an encouragement to you!

Tim and I always wanted a big family. We loved kids and couldn’t wait to become parents after we were married. We wish we could say adoption was always on our hearts, but it was not in our “life plan” when we got married. Neither was infertility. We tried to start our family for 8 years with failed after failed treatment. Throughout those 8 years, God was whispering adoption into our hearts the whole way.

In 2019, God opened our hearts and led us clearly on the path of adoption. Through research and prayer, we were led to Christian Adoption Consultants, and they have been the greatest blessing in our lives. CAC has been with us through the ups and downs of 2 adoptions, including an interrupted adoption. They were always there to guide us, encourage us, and even comfort us through prayer during moments of difficulty. In February 2020, we adopted our first son, Hudson, and our lives were changed forever. Our hearts were bursting with love for not just him, but his Birth Mother and the joy adoption brings. God quickly put it into our hearts to adopt again, so that Hudson and his sibling would have the bond of adoption together.

In August 2021, we reached back out to CAC and began our journey to our baby girl, Tessa. This time God paired us with Kelly as our adoption consultant. She was always such a joyful and uplifting guide through the entire process. We went into the process with softer hearts and more open eyes than the first adoption. However, we did underestimate how many emotions would come flooding back – emotions of uncertainty, doubt and at times despair. The finances, waiting, unknowns, and remembering the interrupted adoption did overwhelm us at times. We tried to busy ourselves focusing on Hudson and loving the moment of being a family of 3, before the baby came. Kelly was always there to be a voice of reason and lift us up in prayer. It was a moment in our life where we were reminded God is in control, that he is in the heart of every adoption situation.

Throughout our entire journey of infertility and adoption, we always turned to Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you says the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

On our journey to Tessa, we presented to a handful of cases and were not chosen. But the day we saw Tessa’s situation, we had a sense of love and peace for her Birth Parents and felt God’s presence stronger than ever when we read it. It was a longer match time, a little over a month, which felt like forever. When we did get her Birth Parents decision, we were over the moon. We didn’t know if she was a boy or girl until our first call with the Birth Parents who let us know it was a girl, and our hearts were overjoyed. Of course, the first call with the Birth Parents is nerve wracking and emotional for all, but we were able to talk like we knew each other for years, even though we hadn’t even met. It was special to have both the Birth Mother and Father on the phone with us. They chose us because of our first miracle, Hudson. They wanted their baby girl to have a big brother.

We got the call on a lazy Sunday afternoon. Her Birth Father texted us she was in labor and going to the hospital. 2 hours later she was born! We scrambled to get on the last flight out that night. The next morning, we met our baby girl in the nurse’s station. Holding her was surreal. She was a beautiful and healthy baby girl. As parents we always dreamed about how we would meet our babies. With her, it was in the hallway of a busy hospital, yet a quiet moment between her and us. We cried in joy and thanksgiving at God’s miracle of life and that he led us to this precious baby. The next few days were hard, but incredibly beautiful. The hospital gave us a room with her Birth Mother across the hall. She would walk over several times a day to see Tessa, hold her, and talk to us. The Birth Father would also come over to check on us, and baby Tessa. Their eyes were filled with both joy and grief as they placed their daughter with us. Saying goodbye to them was one of the hardest things we’ve done. The miracle of adoption is filled with both pain and joy. We love them and pray for them daily. We keep in touch, sending pictures and updates monthly or more.

God changed our hearts in innumerable ways through our journey of adoption. We had to give him control of our family and see the miracle work of his hands in adoption. We cannot express how much gratitude we have for CAC and the agencies they work with. They navigate through difficult systems, processes, emotions, and situations so we as adopted parents have an advocate and partner throughout the journey. We would not be here today as a family of four without Kelly and CAC!

***If you are interested in learning more about adoption and the services we provide at Christian Adoption Consultants, I would love to chat! Email me, Kelly Todd, at kelly@christianadoptionconsultants.com to request a FREE information packet!***