Our names are Heather and Matt O’Connor.  Our adoption story goes like this…

It has been my desire to adopt ever since 3^rd grade.  I went to a Catholic school and there was a presentation about adoption that just struck a cord in me, even back then.  Throughout my life I carried with me my desire to adopt. 

Before my husband and I married, we discussed children and my desire to adopt and he graciously agreed that this would be the way we would grow our family.  We married 2 years later and now we are coming up on our 5^th wedding anniversary. 

We actually started our adoption process in September 2008 for two children.  In April 2009 we were given our referral of a boy and girl.  We accepted them.  2 weeks later we were notified the little girl was no longer available.  We held out for another referral for a second child.  But, after some time, we decided to pursue only the little boy for fear that if we waited too long we would lose him also.  That was June 2009. 

So, we traveled on our first trip over the 4^th of July 2009 and met him…such a sweet 4 year old!  We also did the 8 doctor medical exam.  We came home from that trip waiting for our court date.  Christmas and New Years came and went.  We finally heard back from the courts that we couldn’t be given our court date because our medical exams had expired.  So, we made a 2^nd trip in February 2010 just for the exams and visited our son again…and he remembered us and called me Mama!

We came home and once again our paperwork was submitted to get a court date…the day after the little boy was sent back to Russia from Tennessee.  We received another determination from the courts and this time it came down to the fact that we were not going to receive a court date for this little boy.  We were devastated to say the least.  We considered this boy our son since the day we saw his referral picture 1 ½ years ago.  We discussed at length the fear we had that this could happen again and the heartache it had caused for us, but more importantly him.  In the end, we decided to continue in another region.  However, after 2 trips to Europe and taking into consideration the cost of already performing 2 medical exams, and essentially starting over with the paperwork, we discovered that the cost of continuing was beyond what we could now afford without assistance. 

 

My husband and I truly would like a family to call our own.  We both come from larger families and desire to keep up the traditions of our families with one of our own.  The bedroom is all decorated and ready to go!  Only thing missing are the little ones…

Every little dollar helps the cause to give a child a future.  Anything you are able to donate is appreciated. 

Graciously,

Heather & Matt O’Connor