After five years and 9 months of marriage, a lot of negative pregnancy tests, doctor visits, infertility treatments, and even more prayer, Mom and Dad received a phone call from Michigan. It was a preacher's wife that they knew and she was aware they were hoping to adopt. Another lady that attended their church worked with Michelle's cousin(Michelle is my birth mother). This cousin asked her co-worker to pray for a baby boy who needed a new mommy and daddy. The lady (Linda something) went to her church and pastor to ask for their prayers as well.
Bro. and Sis. Dennis Johnson had previously pastored in Little Rock, AR where my parents attended and Sis. Johnson was a nurse. Mom had talked to Sis. Johnson when they lived in Arkansas about all of their infertility issues and about them wanting to adopt in the future, if possible. Since the Johnson's already knew that Mom and Dad were wanting to adopt, they called them right away and asked them if they were interested. Of course, they were! Two weeks later, after getting the legal paperwork they needed to be able to bring him back to Arkansas, they were headed to Michigan to pick up their little miracle. Little Boy was 3 months old and was in the care of our grandmother at the time.
My brother's story isn't for me to share, if you want to hear the rest of his story, you'll have to ask him! 😀
About a year later there came another phone call from God....er, Michigan! 😜 Michelle was expecting again! It's a GIRL! Are y'all interested? Absolutely! At the time of this call she was approximately 7 months along and was scheduled for a c-section. She was due the first week of December and had found out that Mom and Dad's anniversary was the first week of December also. Michelle asked them the date and if they would be okay with her picking that day for my birth. Obviously they were. 😁
Fifteen months after they picked up their little blue bundle, they were headed back to Grand Rapids to pick up a little pink bundle! It was also Mom and Dad's 7th anniversary. 💕
When my parents had gone to pick up my brother they weren't able to meet Michelle. I'm not sure why or where she was at that time but when they came to pick me up they got to meet her for the first time.
At the time of my birth, in the state of Michigan, private adoptions were not legal. Michelle had to name me in the hospital and act as if she was going to be keeping me. For a whole 4 days (the amount of time I was in the hospital after birth) I was Krysten Leigh. Yeah, I know....I just look like an Aimee now. Haha! Mom and Dad had legal paperwork for her to sign saying they could bring me back to Arkansas and pursue adoption.
My parents, brother, and Aunt Kristy(Dad's little sister) were all waiting at my grandmother's when I came home from the hospital.
It also only took me 4 days to head south! 😜 I did have a sign in my house that said "I wasn't born in the south but I got here as fast as I could!" Mom and Dad lived in Little Rock at the time and that is where I started my life as Amy Elisabeth Steele. It took close to 2 years for the adoption to be final. Back then they had to give the birth mother a chance to change her mind. She didn't, of course, but can you imagine how stressful that must have been?
When I was about 4 Mom had to have a complete hysterectomy. Though they already were pretty positive they would never have biological children this made it 100% impossible. Over the years they thought and prayed about adopting more children but it just wasn't in God's plan. There were a few times when people would call and ask if they were interested but it always fell through.
Sometimes we don't understand why but God always has a reason. He gave me the best life I could ever imagine! I have the most wonderful parents and a great relationship with my birth mom. I couldn't be more blessed!!!
As a small child Mom begin to tell us "Our Story" and there was never a time in my life that I didn't know I was adopted. For that I am thankful! I grew up with the knowledge that someone loved me enough to give me a life they couldn't provide and that someone else had CHOSEN to be my parents. How many people are blessed enough to start their life with that much love given them?
However, people are cruel. Especially kids. You wouldn't believe how many times we were told our parents weren't our real parents and because of that they didn't love us. Only birth parents could love a child. Ummm, WHAT? We were always happy to tell these kids that their parents got stuck with them but we were chosen. So it ended up that our parents loved us more.
And even today, after becoming an adoptive parent myself, I still believe that's true.
