If you would like to read about all the things we went through to have our baby, click HERE

But if you just want the short version, and want to see some great pictures, read on....

Our first family photo

Although we only talked by phone, we felt very bonded. She only lived about 15 miles from us and did not want to meet us face-to-face.  She said she didn't want to see us in the community and know it was us.  We honored her wishes and hoped she would change her mind later on. We wanted an open adoption so that our child would never have to have unanswered questions.

We had had Sarabeth's name (nickname for Sarah Elizabeth) picked out for years.  My mother is named Sarah and Kevin's grandmother was named Sarah.  We were stunned when we discovered this birthmother's name was Sarah Elizabeth too. She said she felt it was a sign that we were meant for each other.

Sarah went into labor 9 weeks early. Tests showed Sarabeth weighed less than 2 pounds at that point. Sarah's doctor was able to stop the contractions, but because the labor had progressed so far, she was not able to leave the hospital for the next 5 weeks. We felt so helpless during this time. Sarah was fighting so hard every day to give Sarabeth a healthy start and we needed to feel like we were doing something too, so we visited a lactation consultant and I induced lactation so that we would be able to breast feed. All the pumping that was required really kept us busy!!

Finally, on Saturday, November 23, our angel was born. Her birthmom held her and cared for her during the two days they spent together at the hospital and then said goodbye on Monday. That afternoon,we met our daughter for the first time. She was 4lbs 15oz, didn't know how to suck (so no breastfeeding!), and had jaundice, but otherwise was perfectly healthy.

happy mom

happy dad

Our front door. A few of our neighbors didn't know we were adopting. They came over and said "Wow, we couldn't even tell you were pregnant." :)

We have met with Sarah 3 times, at a local playground, and the last time I gave her a lock of hair from Sarabeth's first hair cut. Sarah is the best birthmom a couple could ask for. She calls us Mommy and Daddy (to Sarabeth) and says she has never doubted her decision. We have also met her mother and now her new husband and she has met some of our extended family too.

Even though we are not very "mythical" people, we truly believe that Sarabeth has the same individuality, the same soul, the same "Sarabethness" that she would have had had she been born to us. We know her physical body and heritage is different than it would have been, (and that's probably a good thing :)) but she could not possibly be anymore "OUR" child. We joke and say she's better than anything we could have "homemade".