Arianna's Adoption Story

We moved to Missouri and started our own business in July of 2010. We started the mountain paperwork with LDS Family Services in October of 2010. We had three different interviews with the social worker, created paper and online portfolios, and uncovered our deep and darkest secrets...I am serious--they leave no stone unturned. Good thing there wasn't much to find :)
We were approved to be candidates for adoption in January of 2011 and for months we heard nothing. Completely nothing; no e-mails, no phone calls, I watched the hit counter on our online profile looking for any sign that we were desirable...Then we got a call in August later that year. There was a birth-mother who wanted to meet with us! We were speechless and full of gratitude.   We met with Lindsey, her mom, and brother later that week and were invited to the ultrasound.  We got to see Ari's first picture. Later that year we drove up and saw Lindsey in a play she was acting in, and went to church with them. Then on Friday December 23rd we got the call that Lindsey was in labor. You can read more about that here.  Arianna was the most wonderful Christmas present we could have ever received.
We were able to bring Arianna home on Thursday December 29th. That day was a total emotional roller coaster. We were able to get a court date for that morning and had assumed that everything would go smoothly and we would be able to be on our way home by noon...It wasn't that easy. The birth father, Tyson, came to the court house and wanted very much to be a father to Arianna. We were told there was nothing else for us to do but walk away...The Lord blessed us and touched Tyson's heart. He and his mother agreed to talk with us, and after an amazing conversation Tyson consented to the adoption. We were very touched by the love that he had for a daughter he had never met. We invited him and his family to the hospital to meet Arianna when we checked her out...

It was one of the most wonderful scenes I have ever witnessed. Arianna will now have the opportunity to know both her birth-mother and birth-father. I cannot think of a better beginning to this adoption. Miracles were worked and lives were changed.