Bobby and Kim's Adoption Story

We believe that every adoption story is in itself a miracle and a blessing. We want to share our story so that others can read it and know what a beautiful experience we have had.

Bobby and I officially went on-line with American Adoptions June 1, 2006. On August 2, 2006, we received the phone call that changed our lives. Lisa Lewis called to tell me that a family had chosen us and that she was set to give birth to a girl in September. I could not believe my ears, it was happening to fast -- I had a million questions, but I just stood there, tears rolling down my face.

We spoke to Mark and Angela the first time one week later. I was so nervous, having no idea what to expect, as I quickly learned, none of the books I had read nor the studies I had researched, could not prepare me for the moment when I spoke to the woman who had chosen me to adopt her child. I learned that she was married with 3 small children and out of love for them, she and her husband had made the decision to place this little angel in our hands.

We quickly grew close to the birth family and began exchanging e-mails. Her due date was moved from September 24 to September 11 and they lived in another state. Her other children were all born early and we did not want to miss a moment, so we prepared ourselves for a trip. We had lunch with the birth parents, exchanged phone numbers and talked in detail about what each of us wanted or expected in the delivery room. We were there for almost two weeks when we got the call – her water had broken.

We arrived at the hospital to find she was having contractions. We spoke for a bit, and then let her rest. The wonderful people at the hospital gave us our own room to wait. A few hours later – it was time. The moment she took her first breath, she was placed in my arms and my husband cut the umbilical cord. From the time we decided to adopt, I had spent a lot of time pondering what that moment would be like. I was overwhelmed with emotion and love for the beautiful child in my arms. Carrying Annebella Grace inside of me could not have made me love her any more than I did at that moment.

We took her to our room where we bathed her and loved on her all day. Angela came to visit Annebella and me that afternoon, two mothers sharing a moment of trust and openness that I will be able to relay to her when she is grown.

That evening, she began to show signs of a fever and was immediately taken into the NICU. She had an infection and would need to remain on antibiotics for at least 10 days. She had tubes coming out of her mouth, machines hooked all over her tiny body; it was the saddest thing I had ever seen. To go from such an amazing high to such a devastating low in only a matter of hours was almost overwhelming.

Angela joined us in the NICU; we held hands and cried together. Two of her other children had spent their earliest hours similar circumstances and she knew the fear and was there for support, something I would have never imagined.

My little girl is a fighter though and she pulled through and was released following her last dose of antibiotics. The great people at American Adoptions were with us all the way and did everything they could to make the paperwork part of it as easy as possible.

We arrived in our home state happy and healthy. She is such a blessing to our family. The experience brought my husband and I closer than ever and it took the bond with our birth family to a whole new level.

We are forever grateful to American Adoptions for introducing us to the kind and loving people who have entrusted us with the greatest gift – our little girl.