Congratulations Stuart and Lauren

Stuart and Lauren's story to grow their family started out like many others. Ready to begin their family, they unexpectedly struggled with infertility and the heartache that comes with it. 

Stuart describes part of their journey this way:  After months of struggling with infertility, God began to reshape Lauren’s heart for adoption. One night last May over dinner at La Parilla, Lauren looked me straight in the eye and said, “I think I want to adopt a child.” For those of you who know Lauren, you know that she has a hard time hiding her excitement and enthusiasm. She was beaming. You see, God had given her a vision for adoption that I had never considered. Through adoption, we had the opportunity to change the course and direction of a life by raising them in an environment where they would come to know Jesus. I had never thought of adoption that way before, but we both left dinner that night confident that this was God’s plan to start our family.

They began with Christian Adoption Consultants soon after their decision to adopt in late April last year. They completed their home study several months later and then began their wait to be matched with an expectant birth mother and ultimately their baby. During this time they prepped a nursery, completed paperwork to apply to agencies, and Lauren even reconnected with a friend, Kristen, who was also adopting. The two had met several years ago through a group of women that met monthly at a mutual friend's (Joy) home. They would commiserate about the adoption process and encourage each other on the journey.

And this is where their story takes an incredible turn that can only be explained by God himself.

In the fall, while Stuart and Lauren were in the midst of all of their adoption preparations, Lauren's friend Kristen's adopted daughter was born. In texting one night while Kristen and her new family of three had just been discharged from the hospital, Kristen shared that her birth mother's teen daughter was also pregnant and wanted to make an adoption plan...and she wanted the same kind of adoption that her mother had just been through. Kristen immediately thought of Stuart and Lauren.

As soon as Stuart heard about the situation, he immediately and uncharacteristically said, "This is it…we need to put our names in." 

And amazingly enough, that was it. They were matched just days later and began an amazing relationship with their birth mother. Just a few weeks ago this little guy came into the world.Lauren shares: God is so creative. His plan is always worth waiting for. I’m so grateful for every situation we said “no” to because waiting on a situation we both wanted and prayed for was completely worth it. God has not only surprised me by the way he wrote this story but has re-instated a sense of awe in me as I watch his plan unfold. Only he knew that 5 years ago, a dinner at Joy’s house would change our lives forever...

Many times in adoption two families are joined together through the birth of a sweet baby. In Stuart and Lauren's case, FOUR families now share an unexplainable bond through two beautiful children; a daughter and a son (an aunt and a nephew!). And this new family had an amazing homecoming a few days ago...

Lauren shares: God is so creative. His plan is always worth waiting for. I’m so grateful for every situation we said “no” to because waiting on a situation we both wanted and prayed for was completely worth it. God has not only surprised me by the way he wrote this story but has re-instated a sense of awe in me as I watch his plan unfold. Only he knew that 5 years ago, a dinner at Joy’s house would change our lives forever...