In June of ’07, my wife and I became aware of a Birth Mom due with a baby boy on 07-16-07. The Birth Mom met with me only some time in the middle of June. She told me that she wanted us to be her son’s parents. She was going through our profile and she told me that there were many connections that she had strong feelings about. That was the last time we spoke for what seemed like an eternity. My Wife and I felt the loss of contact was a bad omen. We felt she had changed her mind. The last weekend in June of’07 my wife and I put the Boy’s crib together just in case. (We had purchased both Boy and Girl furniture after we started the adoption process). On Monday 07-02-07, My wife and I woke up around 5 am. We couldn’t sleep. I decided to go to work early. I got a paper and coffee and camped out at my office parking lot. The sunrise that morning was beautiful. Around 8:45 am, a Van came screaming into the lot. A young man got out of the van and started running towards my van. I recognized him as our Birth Mom’s Boyfriend (not the Birth Dad). He came up to my window and started yelling “ya gotta come ya gotta come she’s starting to push”. I was in shock for a moment I wasn’t sure what he was telling me. I told him, “I thought she changed her mind.” He said no Mr. Wells she wants you there and it won’t be long now.” I got my thoughts together and told him to get in the van and I would drive. We drove to the hospital. He took me to the Birthing Suite and in we walked. They had just cut the cord and to my left was MY SON!! and to my right was a scene I’m not sure I could describe. I realized I should step out of the room to offer some privacy. Now I know why God made me 6’6″. I could just see over the door and watch as they cleaned my son. Some woman came out of the Suite and bear-hugged me and said, “Congratulations Daddy.” That’s when it occurred to me I NEED to call my wife. I tried about 5 or 6 times and couldn’t get her. Then someone else came out of the suite and said would you like to sit and hold your son. It was magical. He opened his eyes and looked at me. It was as if he said don’t ever leave me. It was a moment in time that made me realize that I was going to be part of a Miracle. While all that was going on I realized I need to find my wife. I decided to use the phone at Birth Mom’s bedside. My wife must have been in shock. I told her I was at the hospital and everything was OK. I told her she needed to come and meet her son. There was a pause and the I heard her say, “I’m in a meeting,” then she said “Oh my goodness I’ll be right there.” I got her back on the cell phone and she could hear him crying. Then I started texting pictures to her. It was still shocking the whole day. The nurse took my son from me to re-warm him. It was perfect timing. It gave me a chance to meet my wife in the lot and walk her up. She hugged me and kissed me and whispered, “We have to go to the store, we have nothing we need. We went upstairs and were treated like Kings and Queens. We met our Birth Mom’s family. When they brought our son back in the suite he went in to Birth Mom’s arms. Then to her mom’s arms. I could see my wife in the corner of my eye. She seemed to glow a little. Then our son was placed in his Mommy’s arms. I didn’t think I was going to top the whole eyeopening miracle thing, but Oh my! That moment will stay with me forever. I stood and expressed to all those in the room that we were grateful and that words could never express how we felt about the gift we had been given. They asked what our son’s name was. My wife told everyone his name is Zacheus Andrew. I was pretty sure that was what the name was but not until she said it for the first time. This is just one of the stories we’ve been part of that day. Today I took my son to his 3rd Easter Mass. He sat on my shoulders, he tried to go potty, he cried when he couldn’t have a communion wafer. What a day.

We always knew that we wanted to have children and were excited when we began our adoption journey one year ago. We were recently blessed with the arrival of our son, Thomas, who was born on March 10, 2010!

We initially enrolled with STAR’s Traditional Agency Adoption Track. However, with the help of a close friend, we were connected with our son’s birth parents, a beautiful couple that truly cared about making a thoughtful plan for their child. We met the couple early in the pregnancy; and we wanted to support them in making a decision that felt right for them: whether it be to parent, to make an adoption plan with us, or to select another family altogether. We recommended that they connect with the birth parent advocates at STAR, who would provide them with their own set of services and resources, which would be apart from ours, something we felt was extremely important.

Adoption STAR’s Agency Assisted Private Track allowed us the benefit of independently developing a relationship with our son’s birth parents, but also providing resources, support, and guidance to everyone involved when needed. Over six months, we were able to develop a wonderful adoption plan with our son’s birth parents. We were active in the birth mother’s medical appointments and were present for our son’s birth… a moment we will cherish forever! We maintain an open relationship with our son’s birth parents; and he will know, from a young age, his adoption story and the special way in which we became a family.

We congratulate STAR. Your warmth and compassion have meant so much to us.

Thank you for this opportunity to share our adoption story. It begins like many others. After struggling with infertility, we decided adoption was our best choice. We had been couple since our senior year of high school and were ready to start our family life. We found Adoption STAR, completed the classes and before long Ellie came home. On two occasions we thought we had been chosen, but at the last minute, things didn’t work out. Frustrated, we stayed hopeful. Thankfully, we received the call we had been waiting for one beautiful March day. We picked up Ellie at the agency. The first year with Ellie was amazing. She went from a tiny 5-pound baby to a gorgeous, albeit pudgy, 1 year old. Soon enough Casey came into our lives. We had thrown our hat into the ring again just before we took Ellie on her first of many trips to Cancun. By the time we arrived home, Casey’s birth mother had chosen us. She was born three months later. Casey has been a gift beyond words. Our family was now complete.

Words cannot express how grateful we are to both of our children’s birth families. We cherish the connection we maintain with both of them. Our connection to Adoption STAR is equally important to us. Adoption STAR’s dedication to education and support for both adoptive and birth parents is unmatched.

While we were waiting for our baby to be born to her birth family, I found out I was pregnant(again)! Knowing that we would be unable to raise two infants…. and also knowing that I would likely miscarry, we felt the fair thing to do would be to “decline” our profiling. Little did we know, we had already been chosen! As sadly expected, I did miscarry. Concurrently, our as yet unknown birth mother pretty much disappeared. We rejoined the active pool and a couple of weeks later, our soon to be birth family resurfaced! They wanted us to be their daughter’s forever family! What is meant to be is meant to be! Many Blessings!