The Gascho's Adoption Testimony

We knew we wanted to adopt even before we knew each other. God planted the desire for adoption in our hearts as teenagers, and during our engagement we were amazed to see that God had provided us each a mate with an equal passion for this way of creating a family. Early in our marriage we would sit and dream of all the possibilities for our family… would we pursue international adoption, older children through foster care, domestic infant adoption? Would we have any biological children? How many children were in our future, etc? Through much prayer and conversation we decided to attempt one pregnancy, and adopt any children who might follow.

Part way through our second year of marriage we became pregnant with our son Ezra. We did not have trouble conceiving, but staying pregnant proved to be harder than we had anticipated. After 4 months of bedrest, multiple miscarriage scares, and constant reminders of what it means to truly trust in God’s plan, we were blessed to have a healthy, happy baby boy. Through it all, the people close to us worried about what these pregnancy complications might mean for our future family. We never had to wonder. God had planted a seed in our hearts long before we faced those trying times. He had helped us get excited about and embrace the idea of only one pregnancy and the miracle of the adoptions that would follow, even before we got pregnant. We are continually in awe of His preparation and care for us.

In the spring of 2004, a few months after Ezra’s first birthday, we decided to pursue a domestic infant adoption. In the summer of 2005 we were chosen by a birthmom who was due to have a baby boy in October. We met for lunch in July and walked away knowing we had just begun one of the most important relationships of our lives. In August we went to her parents’ home for a barbeque and we were fortunate enough to meet our birthmom’s siblings, parents, nieces, and nephews. It was awkward and wonderful all at once. At 6am on October 20th, we received a phone call letting us know our birthmom was in labor. By 7am our miracle was here! Malaki Michael. We rushed to the hospital and met him for the first time 4 hours after his birth. We spent about 4 hours at the hospital that day, and another 2 hours the following day. That evening our birthmom took Ki home with her for a few days to say goodbye.

Because it was important to her that he bond with us during those first days, we spent some time visiting him in her home then as well. We can’t say it wasn’t stressful, that we didn’t have doubts, and that it wasn’t hard to leave him behind each day… it was torture, but our God had walked us through so much already, and we knew He would continue to be faithful, whatever that might mean. On October 24th, 2005, Ki was placed in our arms forever at an entrustment ceremony. What a miraculous and humbling moment to be a part of… Ki’s birthmom walked across the room and placed him in our arms… our greatest moment of joy, her deepest moment of grief. All of it surrounded with the knowledge that God had brought us together.

We talk with both our boys about adoption, and we maintain an open relationship with his birthparents. Open adoption is feared by so many, and we have found it to be just another way we can place our trust in a loving God who wants good things for His children. We have heard horror stories from well-meaning friends and family, we know it won’t always be easy, but we trusted God to bring us the right child, and that included his biological parents. We prayed about openness and trusted that it would be healthiest for all involved. How could we not trust the rest would work itself out? That relationship has proven to be one of our most unexpected blessings in this process, and it is an avenue we highly recommend.

We love both of our boys. They are wonderful, energetic, and unique. Both are miraculous for their own reasons, both awaken us to new experiences and deeper love. We anxiously await the completion of our family. We don’t know where our future children are now, but we believe that God is already working to bring us together!

God is good… and He loves adoption!

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