For us, it wasn’t just a matter of wanting to be parents. We were meant to be parents, which made our years of infertility difficult to endure. We went to doctors, weighed our options, and seemed to always conclude we’d rather adopt than go through IVF.

Adoption has touched our families on mine and Mark’s side. We have seen and experienced the immense, unconditional love that occurs during and after the process. I can’t say it’s an “easy” route to take, but what about life is easy?

Easy isn’t satisfying.

We don’t learn and grow from easy.

We don’t develop the skills to make us good humans by skating through life.

And once the adoption “process” is over, it doesn’t get any easier. The realization YOU are now in charge of this little human. YOU have to keep them safe, fed, comforted, clothed, loved, and alive. Truthfully, I found myself struggling to bond with our baby girl. It was purely survival in the beginning. She came home with many challenges and we soon found out she couldn’t lay down without continuously experiencing reflux. The only way we could get her to fall asleep after hours of screaming due to her discomfort, was to sit her straight up in her baby swing. I think I could speak for both Mark and I, we never want to live through those months again. We were merely shells of our former selves. We couldn’t seem to find an escape from the hole we fell in.

As bleak as those months seemed, we couldn’t give up on our girl. She was ours and we were hers. Heart, body, and soul, we ARE hers. Most importantly, she didn’t give up. Brynn is a fighter and continues to fight through her challenges. She is a magnificent little lady, who hasn’t had an easy 7 years, BUT she perseveres through it all.

Adoption is not easy, but it is beautiful, and full of pure love.

I highly recommend it.