_ Hello, everyone! _
My name is Bethany and my husband's name is Steven. Steven is a specialized technician, who builds airplane parts by day and a dancer, who teaches both the young and old to dance as a way to glorify God, by evening. I am an Elementary Spanish Teacher, a Vocal Instructor and the head of a Biblical based Music and Movement Development class for little ones and their parents. We thoroughly enjoy traveling and taking adventures together! I believe that God performed one of his greatest miracles when He brought both of us together. He knew just who I needed to compliment my soul. I am appreciative of where and to whom he has brought me! Much of Steven and I's free time is spent dancing, singing, playing sports, traveling, enjoying time with family or catching up on our favorite show :).
Steven and I have been in the adoption process for about a year now. We are currently working our way toward the last bit of fee that we need in order to have our profile go 'live'! Once this happens, it's just a matter of time and the working of God's plan when we will bring our little one home. The remaining fee will be due by our 6 month court date in order to finalize adoption. This journey has been one of absolute growth- and much of it not without agonizing growing pains…
When we first were married, Steven and I dreamed and planned as most couples do. We would speak about baby names, genders and who's eyes they may have or bone structure they may inherit. I often dreamed of having a little boy who would smile that bright, wide smile that his dad always does when I catch him sneaking another one of my homemade cookies. Steven would speak of the voice our little girl may have and how he would surely give her the world were she to look at him with "her mother's beautiful eyes". The hopes and dreams planted in our hearts were deep… rooted… and blossoming.
It was about a year in to our marriage when we began to discuss the potential need to schedule an infertility appointment. We soon did and both underwent many tests from two or three different doctors and specialists. We eventually received the results. The word was that due to male infertility, we would not be able to have children naturally. Our odds were placed at 2% (and that was WITH peak alignment of factors). It was as there, sitting on the cold, plastic chairs across from our doctor, that his words were floating… as if we both suddenly entered into a bad dream. Like a rushing tide, I felt a sense of God's peace, provision and power ("I can do ALL things through Christ who gives me strength") and yet, a cold numbness encircling me at the very same moment.
We were given invasive and expensive options for potential conception should we had liked to try them. We did not. In the very best of circumstances, our odds were 20% success. We knew then, as we hold on to today, that should God choose to give us a child of our own blood, He will and neither scientific statistics nor professional diagnosis' will stop Him! (Hallelujah) We left the office silent, locked up in our thoughts and feelings.
Time held the key.
Steven and I struggled. We traversed the muck of our feelings in our own way and on our own time. Sometimes we hands held tightly with hearts open wide toward one another and other times we closed doors tightly and pulled covers overhead to muffle our pain.
So, with time and Gods work, we have grown together and we have grown individually.
We take our hurts, our expectations, our questions, our jealousy and our fury captive and throw them to God's feet-daily.
God knows what He is doing! We don't see it always, or even often, but that fact does not make the truth any less true. We believe that.
This truth was made evident by how we came to the adoption discussion. We were brought to this table even before we said 'I do'! Very early on, God individually placed a desire on our hearts to give a little one, who was not of our own making, a home and all our love. We both realize how we have been adopted into God’s family through Christ and how we, as believers, are called to care for orphans and widows in the like. We discussed it, we agreed upon it and we entered our marriage believing it would happen. We just had no idea the adventurous journey on which we would be led to get us there!
We know our infertility story and adoption journey is not unique to us. Others have lived a story like ours and others will again. There are many out there with the same heart-bleed marathon ahead of them-those with tattered, tear stained pages lining their journal. We want you to know that we are praying for you. You're in our hearts and our thoughts. You are not alone. Please know that God provides ALL that we need. We pray that you continue on this journey He has you on, as we will too. He will bless you for your faithfulness and obedience!
With all of that being said, we are BEYOND excited and are doing everything we can to be prepared to welcome a beautiful new life into our home!
As part of our adoption process, we have started a crowdfunding campaign. It may surprise you to hear that adoption related costs can easily total up to $35,000 or more. This is why we have set a goal of $9,000 to help ease the financial burden that often overwhelms adoptive parents.
We hope that by inviting you into this process, you will see yourself as part of the community we hope to build around our child as he/she grows up.
We appreciate all of your prayers, messages and selfless financial gifts more than you know!
Thank you from the bottom of our hearts,
The Pires'
