We knew early on in our relationship that we wanted to have children, but whenever imagined that starting our family would be the emotional roller coaster it turned out to be. We were never opposed to adoption, but never thought newborn adoption was financially within our reach.
After taking our spot on a four-year waiting list to adopt with our local Department of Family and Children’s services, we decided to give fertility treatments a shot. As a lesbian couple, we felt sure that one of us would be able to conceive. As most people who have gone this route can attest, once you get on that road, it’s a hard one to get off of. You just keep thinking one more time and then it’ll happen. By the end of a better part of two years with no baby, we were physically, emotionally, and financially exhausted.
With our heads and spirits low, we went to one last orientation meeting with the state agency for fostering and adoption. We were the only couple that showed that night. Instead of being shown a powerpoint presentation, the caseworker asked for our story and really listened. Then he was honest with us and gave us the best gift he could have ever given. He said as much as he admired our desire and willingness to work with them, state adoption wasn’t for us. He couldn’t let us move forward knowing full well that his agency would not hesitate to place and remove who knew how many children with us before we would be able to adopt just one. He gave us a number to call. Within 48 hours we had completed an online application with LifeLong Adoptions and received a call back from them that was in all respect the answer to our prayers. Finally, someone had answers to our questions and a plan of action. It almost seemed too good to be true, but we felt we had nothing to lose. This would be our last try, so we committed and never looked back. As it turned out, our commitment to LifeLong was nothing compared to what they gave us in return.
What we love most about LifeLong is their commitment to not only their prospective adoptive parents but to the expectant mothers and birthmothers. They are an all-around compassionate team who are fully invested in their clients. They were so sensitive to our struggles leading up to finding them and handled us with kid gloves throughout the entire process. They told us who to call, where to go, and what to expect at every turn to make sure all our bases were covered, from the home study to the hotel where we waited to bring our baby home. They gave us office numbers, email addresses, and cell phone numbers so that we’d be able to contact them easily. Then they answered those cell phones when we called...every time we called, and believe me it was a lot!
It took less than five months from our initial contact with LifeLong to be chosen by an expectant mother, and only ten days after that to hold our son for the first time! The entire process from start to finish went so smoothly due solely to the daily efforts of the LifeLong team. They make a commitment to you on day one and they follow through and then follow up.
People often ask if we wish we had just gone with adoption from the start and are surprised when we say no. We fully believe we were meant to find LifeLong when we did because through them we found our son...the one we were supposed to have when the time was right. LifeLong made it possible for us to find the baby that needed and wanted us as much as we needed and wanted him. So chances are if you’re looking into them now, the time is right for you. Give them a chance and they’ll do everything in their power to give you the family you were meant to have.