Our Story

"We have ample evidence that the Lord is able to guide. The promises cover every imaginable situation. All we need to do is to take the hand he stretches out." ~ Elisabeth Elliot Well, four and half years after having Annie (Stefanie) home, we were unsure if we were ready to add another child to our family. We talked about it occasionally, but it just didn't seem to be the right time. After all, with the 3 bio girls all grown, and Erica and Annie adjusting so well, we weren't sure we wanted to upset the apple cart. But... then I saw a little girl called "Wilma" being advocated for on a fellow adoptive mom's blog. Her eyes captured me! We needed to find out more about her. She was listed as having a "blood disorder," and was listed with Lifeline, the agency we had used for Annie. We loved working with them! I emailed Lifeline asking if she was still available, and if so, what exactly was her medical condition. I got an email back that day saying she was still available, and her file was attached. I opened her file and saw that her "blood disorder" was HIV+. When I told Neal about her, he had several questions about HIV that I could not answer. I will admit everything we knew about HIV/AIDS was outdated. To be honest, we saw it as a scary diagnosis, so we turned to the internet to find out more. Everything we found made us think that perhaps this was something we could handle. After speaking with the head of the Retrovirology clinic at Texas Children's Hospital and learning that with the proper medication, HIV, Human Immunodeficiency Virus, has changed from a terminal disease to a chronic, but manageable one. The medication that is now available to treat HIV can take the viral load to an undetectable level. After lots of prayer, we felt certain that God was calling us to step out on faith and add this precious girl to our family, our daughter Nicole! HIV is no longer a death sentence! Nicole's most recent blood test showed that her viral load is undetectable, and our doctor has assured us that as long as she takes her medication, twice a day, she will live a long, full life. She will have quarterly blood-draws and be monitored by a specialist. We rejoice that one day Nicole will be able to get married and have children without the worry of passing the disease on to her family. Through this whole process, we have become more educated on HIV and are learning more every day! We are happy to answer any questions anyone may have! There are many people who have chosen not to disclose their HIV status and we understand and respect their decision. Some have suggested waiting until Nicole can make this decision on her own. Once this information is out here, we know that we can never undo it. We have spent a lot of time praying and discussing these options. We have been blessed by having supportive and open-to-education reactions from our close friends and family. While we will not be shouting it from the rooftops, we will not be hiding it either. Therefore, we have ultimately decided that being up front and honest about her HIV status is the best option for our family. We came to this conclusion for many reasons. First, if we kept it a secret, we are afraid she would think it was something for which she should be ashamed. Keeping secrets is a lot of work, and quite frankly, we have more important work to do. Like teaching Nicole how much we love her and what having a family means. Her HIV status does not, and will not, define her!

Second, we also want to raise awareness about the fact that there are over 34 million people who are HIV/AIDS positive in the world. There an estimated 25 million children who have been orphaned by AIDS, many of whom are HIV positive themselves. These children need the love of family in order to reach their God-given potential. Their HIV status should not be allowed to define them or their future. We feel extremely blessed that we were chosen to be Nicole's family and cannot wait to meet her!   For more information about HIV/AIDS or how to get involved in caring for the 153 million orphans worldwide: Nicole's medical & foster home in China: Harmony Home Association Project HOPEFUL believes in the value of each child - no matter where he or she lives or what diagnoses he or she may have. This is a great place to start if, like us, you would like more information about HIV or any other scary diagnosis. Our amazing adoption agency, Lifeline Children’s Services, who are diligently advocating for all 153 million orphans worldwide. The amazing work that Saddleback Church is doing with their HIV and AIDS Initiative. Whether you are in the process of adopting a child from China, already home with your adopted child, or just researching special needs, No Hands But Ours is a great resource!

"Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us." ~ Ephesians 3:20

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