Michele, Pete, and Skylar's Adoption Story

After several years of infertility we decided that we were tired of the emotional roller coaster ride and were ready to adopt. We signed up with American Adoptions and our journey began. At first, we took the approach that it will happen when it happens and that kept us going until June 2006 (15 months after we signed up). During that 15 months, we did get calls but for one reason or another, no match was made. Then, one Friday afternoon, we got "the call". We had been picked by a birth mother! We were ecstatic. We had several conference calls with the birth mom and eagerly waited for her to give birth. When the call finally came, we couldn't have been happier (or more nervous). We made our arrangements and flew to be with our new baby and his birth parents. Upon our arrival, we were told that the birth father may be having second thoughts. We took it with a grain of salt and carried on. We spent time with the baby and the birth parents and prayed that everything would work itself out. Well, within 24 hours we were given the devastating news that the birth parents were going to "parent" their baby. We packed up and headed home all the while trying to make some sense out of what happened. We told ourselves it was a test run and the next time it would be a piece of cake. In hindsight, the entire ordeal only made us more determined than ever to become parents.

Back home, we settled back into our routines but desperately waited for that phone to ring. As the months passed, we realized that things were most likely not going to happen for us this year (another Christmas without a baby). Although we were sad and deeply disappointed that the last baby wasn't didn't work out, we had such hope that "our" baby was coming (we just didn't have any idea when).

One day during the end of October, my phone rang and our lives were changed forever. It was Cara from American Adoptions and she had a "potential situation" for us. The last time, I was totally out of my mind with excitement so this time I tried to remain as calm as possible. She told me that there was a baby girl who was born earlier that week who needed a home right away (parents were signing that evening). I felt my heart drop and I knew that this was really it!! She asked me if we could be in Arizona by that Monday morning and I said absolutely. I then told her I had to call her back because I had to call my husband (I'm sure she thought it was a little odd because I didn't ask any further questions). I called him and he was in total shock (as I was) and of course a little leery after what happened to us before. Sometimes I think we are still in shock (as to how fast it happened). So needless to say we made the necessary arrangements and were off again, this time, with a very different outcome.

When we arrived we were told that we would get a call regarding a time for us to meet with the lawyer and then the details on how we were going to get our baby girl. It was probably the longest day of our life! I remember just sitting there in the hotel room looking at each other. Minutes felt like hours and the hours felt like eternity. Finally, we got all of the information and were on our way to meet our precious baby girl. The car ride was only 20 minutes or so but seemed like hours. We both had butterflies in our stomachs and barely spoke to each other.

We arrived right on time and were asked to have a seat. I remember thinking…not more waiting, when all of a sudden there was a woman coming down the stairs with this little tiny bundle in her arms. I immediately approached her and she knew just by the look on my face that I was the new mommy who was desperately waiting for this little angel. She put her into my arms and the most unbelievable feeling came over me. My husband was beaming from ear to ear and I don't think the smile has really left his face yet. It all made sense at that moment; we had to endure what we did to get to that place that place in time where we became a family. Skylar Rose was an answer to all of our prayers and a dream come true. We waited so long and at the same time, it seemed like it happened so fast. I admit that we had been frustrated at times but none of that matters anymore. Skylar was meant to be ours and we couldn't be happier.

We thank everyone at American Adoptions for helping us on this journey, they were very compassionate and truly wonderful with us, especially Meagan Spaeth who held our hands through thick and thin!

Michele, Pete, and Skylar