A Miracle of Timing: Mike Marsden’s Story of Faith, Adoption, and Resilience [S5E2]

Author Sarah D. Shearer joins ADOPTION NOW to talk about her adoption story.  In her words, her story started off with little hope, “I was born with various medical needs and was left in a Russian hospital where nuns helped to keep me alive until I was transferred to an orphanage.” The Russian orphanage was convinced that no one would want her, but a family in Thomasville, GA saw her picture and fell in love. This is an uplifting story filled with gratitude and grace towards adoption. Sarah has written a memoir called “Extra Ordinary” to share her positive perspective. She says, “no one can speak to adoption more than an adoptee.” Listen to this episode and check out her book on Amazon!   QLyczKYulKtuC15aefxa

29 Aug 202332min

PART 2!! As we heard on the last episode, Jacob and Jessica already had 2 biological children when they adopted a baby boy while being filmed on the Oxygen show “I am Having Their Baby.” The family of 5 soon became a family of 6, as they went on to adopt a little boy with clubfoot. On this week’s episode Jessica shares how their journey was not over after 2 adoptions! As they waited on the agency’s adoption list, a situation came up that involved drug exposure to the unborn baby. The couple had to make a quick decision if they wanted to keep moving forward and say yes. Listen to hear the rest of the J Family's story!

12 Aug 202334min

As cameras rolled, Jessica and Jacob started their adoption journey on the Oxygen show “I’m Having Their Baby.” On this episode, Jessica talks to us about the experience of adopting while being filmed on a TV show (as if the hospital time isn’t stressful enough)! They had 2 biological children when they started the process, and as you will hear, they just kept saying yes to situations. This is part 1 of 2 episodes on how they became a family of 8!

29 Jun 202339min

Kurt and Megan were married and had 2 sons when they went on a mission trip to Haiti. God began to stir in their hearts a call to adopt. This is a story about surrendering to God’s plan and being obedient to taking the next steps. They knew that if they did not pursue adoption, they would miss out on what God had planned for them. The process was not easy but eventually they brought home a 4-year-old little girl named Esther. They were all so excited but as time went on, they learned about trauma and grief in children. In this episode we hear from Megan about the joy and chaos of learning to parent differently and how to let go of the expectations of what they thought raising a daughter would look like. Through prayer and resources, they have seen Esther grow in ways that have brought love and understanding to their whole family.

19 Mai 202343min

Noah joins April on this episode to talk about so many things…like the new WEBSITE! They update us on how the kids are doing and share what is next for ADOPTION NOW. You do not want to miss this candid conversation the two of them have about life as a multicultural adoptive family.

16 Mai 202339min

Our guest on this episode comes to us from Tennessee and works for Ramsey Solutions. Jessica Ross tells us what Dave would say about adoption and debt! She and her husband said yes to adopting a baby and had no idea how expensive the attorney would be. As she shares her story on bringing home Gabby, it turns out money was not going to be the hardest part of the journey. Her story was featured on The Ramsey Show, you can watch the clip here. We loved having Jessica on the show talking about what giving back looks like, and how we can support other families financially as they walk through adoption.

13 Apr 202336min

Do you know someone who is adopting a baby that has been exposed to drug use in utero? Are you an adoptive or foster parent that has jumped into a world that you have no idea about? What does a detoxing baby need? This interview is so important to the adoption community and will answer those questions. Tara Sundem is a neonatal nurse that has opened a recovery center for newborns going through the withdrawal process. Hushabye Nursery works with families to give short-term care to infants that are detoxing. They provide training and support to the caregivers or parents that are walking through this recovery process with the baby. On this episode, we share many tips and advice for families that have a child that has gone through a challenging first start.

31 Mar 202353min

What does it take to adopt from the Dominican Republic? Abby, a Midwest mother and teacher, shares her adoption story to bring home her 2nd daughter from the Dominican. After they signed with an agency to do a new DR adoption program, they were matched to a little girl. The family traveled with their biological daughter and stayed in country for 135 days! Although it was not easy, they were grateful for the time they had together, getting used to being a family for 4. On this episode, we talk about how often the adoption journey pulls you out of your comfort zone and into an adventure. Abby shares what it was like to bring home a child that does not speak English and has been raised in an orphanage for her first 5 years. It was such a change for her new daughter and a big family change for her biological daughter! Listen to this story to be encouraged that in time, things do come together!

24 Feb 202337min