Why did you choose IPAS? 

We chose IPAS for many reasons. The staff made us feel very comfortable, the options offered were exactly what we wanted, and my cousin had been adopted through the agency 42 years prior!

What was your wait like?

With our first child we waited two months.  With our second child we were picked the day we turned in our album!

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

We were thrilled!  The first time was a hospital call.  We didn't know what to expect we just knew that we had a son waiting for us and we got to the hospital as fast as we could.  The whole experience was surreal. With our daughter we actually got to meet her birth mother before she was delivered and we were invited to be in the delivery room for her birth.  The experience was truly incredible and we couldn't be more grateful to be allowed the privilege of seeing our daughter enter the world.

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

It was very different with both children.  With our son it was just a very overwhelming experience and it didn't seem real.  We went to work in the morning and at 1:00pm we were informed that we had a child. We were excited, happy, scared, in love.  It was awesome.  With our daughter it wasn't just about the baby.  We were in the delivery room and with her birth mother and watching the labor and delivery gave us a strong connection to her birth mother.  We were in love with our daughter, but we were also afraid to love her.  Her birth mother had the opportunity to change her mind and we would have understood if she did.  So for us, it was incredibly exciting but there was a fear that created a little distance.  We were holding our breath a little bit until we were able to take her home.

How was the finalization process?

The finalization process was smooth and easy with our son and lengthy and difficult with our daughter.  Our daughter's birth father decided late in the game that he wanted to be part of her life, so he took us to court to obtain rights.  We didn't go to court until she was eight-months-old, so it was very difficult.  The thought of losing her was unbearable.  Needless to say, he didn't win the case.  He didn't really have a case, he just had guilt in his heart and didn't know what to do with it.  Hopefully he is at peace now.  We have offered him an open relationship, but he didn't take us up on it.

Are you enjoying parenthood (of another child)?

We love being parents. We feel like we have the best kids in the world and are extremely grateful!

Other thoughts you might like to share?  

I just wish I could go to the infertility clinics and tell the patients, "Don't stress your entire life out with trying to have a baby.  If your body isn't cooperating - ADOPT.  Being a parent is the ultimate goal and reward.  Don't miss out on having a child because your DNA doesn't match."