Baby #2: THE STORY!

As I cried to Dustin about our journey with kids, I spurted out, “Why is this so hard!” His response, “Because adoption was never meant to be easy.” The Enemy doesn’t want these children adopted into our loving home. He wants them to stay in darkness. And since God has for some reason blessed us with adoptions (the unconventional way of being pregnant), the hard road of buying back lives is where we find ourselves again. 

Let me make something very clear, adopting—no matter the cost or hardship—is the MOST rewarding and joyful gift anyone could ever receive on Earth. At times I daydream that soon there will be a baby resting peacefully in our loving arms, and my heart fills with joy. Because, this baby—our Child—would have lived a life of darkness or have been thrown away as not worthy, but God CHOSE to give him/her hope by placing him/her in our arms to rest in peace. That is a perfect picture of who we were before God CHOSE Dustin and I, born in darkness and not worthy, to rest peacefully in His loving arms for eternity! He gave us Everlasting Hope!

The Story

Many of you know Jaden’s story, at least in part. Please order The Thread, my newest book, to hear his birth mom’s story, our story, and many other encouraging adoption stories. The situations of the birth parents are normally rough, or they wouldn’t be choosing an alternate parenting option for their child. Jaden’s biological parents gave him the best life possible by choosing a loving, Christ-centered couple to be his parents! We are forever grateful for our angel baby. 

The circumstances that made Jaden’s case difficult were basically careless legal issues that caused us many emotional burdens! Like the failure to get the biological father to sign consent or be given the notice of adoption at the time of Jaden’s birth (before he disappeared because of crime for the next 9 months!), or the fact that Jaden is part Native American and we had to petition the tribe to let us adopt him into our white family! And when Jaden was 11 months old we found out the court denied our paralegal’s attempt to get biological father’s rights terminated based on insufficient documentation! Which meant, we had to start over…thankfully, a private investigator found him in jail and he graciously signed the consent forms immediately giving over his rights. All those months the adoption wasn’t finalized, and although our fears were unrealistic I had nightmares that he could be taken from me. Yes! Serious emotional burdens. Could you imagine the weight of fearing someone would take your child from you!!! From a mommy’s heart, I can say there has never been a mommy that loved her child any greater. Since the day we were “pregnant” with Jaden, I was overwhelmed with love for him. 

 

As God burdened our hearts for adoption, Dustin and I gave over (again) our plans for our family. We said, “Okay, God…you expand our family in the timing and way you choose, with the children you choose for us.” About four months after Jaden was born, we found out about a need for adoptive parents for three babies being born that Spring/Summer. We sent our profile into this Florida Agency, but fasted and prayed for God’s discernment if we should adopt so, so soon! God clearly said, “no.” We know every situation is not our calling to respond. God told us He would provide these children with Godly homes. We felt the need to share this with our best friends, Zach and Melody Brackett. 

Within six weeks they brought Baby Dawson home from the hospital! Whoa! They love adoption and believed it would be something they were going to pursue, but at the time we told them they weren’t even beginning an adoption plan! Hah! 

Zach Brackett, Jaden, Me, and Baby Dawson

After God’s clear answer for us of “no,” we told the attorney (Deborah) with the Florida agency that we did not want our profile active, but to call us if she thought we were the absolute best choice as parents for this particular child. Months went by and Deborah called with news that Dawson’s biological parents were pregnant again. This baby would be born this coming March. We agreed to allow her to show this couple our profile, but in God’s sovereignty she choose a family in Florida. Truly, we were relieved she did not choose us because this was days before finding out we had to “start over” with Jaden’s bio dad’s rights being terminated! We didn’t have the emotional energy to start a new adoption yet. At this point, Dustin and I had a long talk about when we would be ready. We decided after Jaden’s adoption finalized and as early as this summer. Truthfully, we let our home study expire…adopting again wasn’t on our radar yet.

On December 21^st, we received the most incredible Christmas present that Jaden’s adoption was FINALIZED! (I sobbed on the phone while receiving the news from the court clerk!) We left for Hilton Head Island with stars in our eyes to spend a refreshing Christmas with my family. Exactly one week after Jaden’s finalization, on December 28^th we received a call. Yup, it was Deborah from the agency! We should know by now our radar is much weaker than God’s. He knows what we do not!

 

Even with an inactive profile, Deborah called to tell us of a situation that she felt (she is a Christian) we were the best choice for this child, and she only wanted to show this birth mom our profile. She felt so certain, she wasn’t going to bring any other profiles with her when she met with the birth mom that weekend. Remember our best friends adopting Baby Dawson about 9 months ago? Well, Dawson’s biological father’s sister was pregnant with her NINTH baby. She is 28 years old and in a very, very dark situation. There is no biological father involved legally. And she does not have custody of any of her eight children, so if we do not adopt this child DCFS will take the child into the foster care system at birth! This adoption situation is truly an orphan needing rescued from darkness to the light of a Christ-centered home! 

 Dustin and I were shocked to say the least. Stunned, since we just celebrated Jaden’s finalization and weren’t even thinking about starting the process over again right now. Actually, being that two new books just released, I was beginning a speaking tour for 2016 all over the East Coast! That was where my focus was! Hah! We didn’t have much time to make a decision because this birth mom really needed the encouragement to know this child would have a hope and future.

As we prayed, sought the Lord in His Word, and processed (my processor is a much faster model than Dustin’s!! haha), God clearly gave us our answer. First, I want to share where He lead me in Scripture. 

God lead me to Psalm 17 that night. It reads, “Lord, hear a just cause; pay attention to my cry; listen to my prayer—from lips free of deceit. I call on You, God, because You will answer me; listen closely to me; hear what I say. Display the wonders of Your faithful love, Savior of all who seek refuge from those who rebel against Your right hand. Protect me as the pupil of Your eye; hide me in the shadow of Your wings from the wicked who treat me violently, my deadly enemies who surround me. But I will see Your face in righteousness; when I awake, I will be satisfied with Your presence.”

I will spend more time in the future sharing all God taught me while reading this Psalm. But, all I could hear was this baby crying out to God to answer him/her, save her from the darkness of her situation and bring her refuge in the presence of a Christ-centered home that will teach her to KNOW the One who redeemed her life. God has answered this little one’s pleas for mercy. On January 3^rd, Dustin and I were chosen to be this precious child’s parents!!!! God is bringing him/her to the light for His Kingdom purposes!! Let His Hope and Grace be known!

So, Baby Dawson Brackett's cousin will be our child! Our best friends and us will have COUSINS!

Our children’s futures were set for wickedness/darkness but God graciously saved them out to give them a hope and a future. As we pray daily for Jaden, we also pray for this child to grow strong in the Lord to bring others from darkness to light (the Gospel). 

Meeting with Jaden's birth mother over Thanksgiving!

Sure the timing may seem too soon from our humanly perspective, but from God’s perspective this is exactly the perfect timing for the protection and salvation of this child—so all men may know Him (Acts 17:24-27). Jaden will be about 20 months when our son or daughter is born at the end of June. Yup, things might get a little crazy in the Nally house with two babies to care for. But, we are humbled and thrilled God would honor us to be parents of not just one angel baby, but two!! Every time we look at each other and then at our baby boy, we again proclaim ‘God’s plans are much better than ours’!

An amazing conformation came a couple weeks after our “pregnancy” news. I was sharing our news with Erica, our worship pastor’s wife, and told her that on December 28^th we got the call that we were “pregnant again by adoption!” She responded, “December 28^th?” Yup… And then she said she woke up the morning of December 28^th after having a dream I was pregnant! 

Our Loving Father has entrusted to Dustin and I TWO precious children the HE CHOSE to redeem from the darkness of their situation to the beauty and light of a Christ-centered home, our home! These children have a Hope and Future! And He has great plans for these children to show His glory. We are excited to be a part of this adventure! We hope you join us...visit our website: Bringing Home Baby to learn more!