Victoria, Grayson, Jason, and Landon with the judge on Finalization Day.

Why did you choose IPAS?

A family friend knew that we wanted to adopt and she highly recommended we contact the director, Stephanie Grant. She was so kind but also knowledgeable and professional.  We also know two different families that adopted through IPAS.  They spoke very positively about their experiences.  We are so glad that we chose IPAS!

What was your wait like?

The adoption of our son Grayson was absolutely perfect to us.  It was very fast!  We completed the classes, paperwork, homestudy, and album over the course of about six months.  My husband Jason teases me about how much time I spent completing our family album (it took longer!).  For those of us who have experienced loss and infertility issues, it gave us comfort knowing that it was no longer a question of IF we were going to have another baby.  It was now WHEN we were going to have another baby!  This made a huge difference for our waiting time.

What was it like to get "the call?"  What happened?

We had just completed our homestudy and album.  Within weeks, we got a call from our social worker, Stephanie Schmidt.  Our baby Grayson was just born on Father's Day a few hours earlier.  Sight unseen we knew Grayson was going to be ours! Jason was at work so I called him then PATIENTLY waited for him to finish work.  Then off to the hospital we went.  We wanted to see our baby together so Mommy did a lot of pacing the floors until we could meet our new bundle of joy. 

How did you feel when you saw your baby for the first time?

It was instant love! We were overwhelmed with happiness and joy. Our older son, Landon, was five at the time and very happy to be a big brother.  When it was time to go home from the hospital, Grayson already recognized Daddy's voice when he spoke to him.

How was the finalization process?

Our finalization process went very smoothly. The judge's name was Tharpe. He made it a fun process for our five-year-old son also. Landon got to go into the judge's chambers and sit up in his big chair.  We made it a family affair with grandparents and close friends in attendance.  Great day!

Are you enjoying parenthood?

We LOVE being parents!  The boys bring so much laughter and joy to our lives. Cannot remember what life was like before them.  What a wonderful life we have!  How blessed I am to be a Mommy to these two adorable children!  We thank God every day and night for these little blessings! 

Other thoughts we would like to share?

When we started our journey at IPAS, we were told we would probably get "the call" when we least expected.  Our advice to prospective adoptive parents is to plan an out of town vacation and then you might get a call!  On another note, we are SO THANKFUL to our birthmother for giving us this beautiful boy!  He is such a miracle!  We are also SO THANKFUL to IPAS and our social worker, Stephanie Schmidt, for bringing Grayson into our lives.  She has an amazing gift for making it all happen.  We highly recommend IPAS to any family wanting to adopt.