Chad and Rachel Althaus

Updates

• Update 28

  

  Noah is ours

  August 9, 2025

  Thank you again for your generous donations throughout this process. On August 8, we finalized Noah's adoption. His full name is Noah Alexander Althaus. Enjoy the photo of his sweet face. <3

• Update 27

  

  Birth mommy visit and finalization date

  May 31, 2025

  We had a very sweet and special time visiting with birth mommy A and big brother A’s family.

  Adoption is very complex and filled with many emotions. We’ve learned there is a delicate dance between grief and joy that’s hard to explain yet fully understood by those on the adoption journey. Adoption is hard but holy, and we are far from “special people”. We are just broken humans who God called to adopt amidst difficult circumstances. And, though our side of this journey is entirely different from birth mommy A’s, we’ve both experienced redemption, refining, and healing.

  When we attended grief counseling this time last year, our goal was to be okay regardless of our circumstances. We didn’t want to be okay because we got our happy ending or desired outcome. We wanted to be okay “if not”. We set out on a long journey to shed all bitterness, anger, resentment, and confusion and truly surrender to the Lord. We are not the same people we were at all. We are forever changed by all we walked through- but for the better.

  Being able to deeply love and honor birth mommy A is just one of the many ways we see that surrender and healing displayed. We recognize not every adoption story is like ours, and we prepared our hearts for myriad outcomes. In fact, we were more prepared for a very different type of situation. But God graciously allowed us to have this day to begin to build a relationship with a woman we love and admire more than we can ever explain. She gave us something we couldn’t give ourselves, and the best part is that she chose us intentionally and feels peace about it.

  N gave birth mommy A some of the sweetest snuggles and fell asleep in her arms. She fed him when he woke, and he was overall his chill and happy self. While we know this isn’t the case for everyone, N is incredibly fortunate to have a birth mommy who is safe to have a relationship with.

  Last bit of news- the plan is to finalize on August 8 in downtown Fort Worth. That day is “New Life Adoption Day”, so we will get to share this very special time with other families from New Life.

• Update 26

  

  Unexpected blessings

  May 1, 2025

  We have been busy bonding with baby N, creating his Life Book, sending updates to birth mommy A, and attending our supervised visits- all while trying to finish Hudson's school year strong! We are so close to summer break!

  At our last supervised visit, we were told that birth mommy A participated in the birth mom panel at our agency's seminar for prospective families. We were rather surprised but very encouraged (and emotional) over this news. We'd prepared our hearts for little to no contact with her. After we heard she agreed to share her story at seminar (and wants to do it again!), we began praying intentional prayers over her heart.

  This past Sunday, we received a text from big brother A's family stating they attended our agency's family picnic the day prior as they do each year. To everyone's surprise, birth mommy A came to the picnic for the first time, and big brother A's family was able to talk with her for the first time since he was born. We couldn't believe it but were so very excited for them. (We were unable to attend since we've not yet finalized.)

  This incredible news prompted us to continue to pray, and we found out on Tuesday that she now wants to meet with all of us!! We will be scheduling a time to meet with her soon. After fully preparing our hearts to only have contact with big brother A and his family, we are blown away by this. Please pray alongside us for birth mommy A and for our visit with her. We want her to feel so loved and cared for, and we pray that God will continue to capture her heart. She's given us one of the greatest gifts in the world, and we love her so dearly.

  When we surrendered all our family plans and chose to walk in obedience, we agreed to "love them both"... we wouldn't exclusively love the baby who'd come into our family. We committed to loving the birth family, too. We have a potential opportunity to live this out, and, if you are interested in learning more about how you can pray, you can text either Chad or Rachel for more details. For privacy reasons, we prefer to keep specific details off this page.

  Enjoy this awesome photo of big brother A holding baby N! We tried to keep their big smiles visible! :)

  Don't stop praying for the prodigal
  Don't stop praying for the miracle
  Hallelujah, hallelujah, and amen
  Don't stop praying that addictions end
  Don't stop praying for deliverance
  Hallelujah, hallelujah, and amen
  Oh, don't stop praying for the sickness healed
  Don't stop praying for His power revealed
  Hallelujah, hallelujah, and amen
  No, don't stop praying for the Kingdom come
  Don't stop praying that His will be done
  Hallelujah, hallelujah, and amen

• Update 25

  

  Lots of things!

  March 9, 2025

  We have much to share this update!

  We had our second supervised visit with New Life on March 8. All remaining visits will be at the New Life office. We brought our whole crew and enjoyed chatting with our case worker as we made ourselves right at home there!! Hudson sat with us and participated in the conversation like the little adult he aspires to be.

  We received confirmation that both birth parents’ rights have been terminated. Rachel prayed specifically over that on Friday. While it can feel selfish to be relieved, we also know this is what his birth mom wants. This was her choice, and we are honoring her by desiring that he stay with our family.

  We just have 4 more supervised visits before we finalize. In May, we will begin the process of filling out paperwork and setting a date for that. We received another surprise that finalization will be held in the DFW area!

  Rachel’s specialist, who is also in the DFW area, will be reaching out again in May and plans to set a surgery date for after finalization. Please continue to be in prayer over that situation, specifically that we will have peace regardless of the findings and overall outcome. It is likely going to be life altering one way or another. We are hopeful for the best but expecting the worst.

  On a lighter note, the kitties did their part to help with the adoption by going to the vet for their checkup and shots right after our visit with our caseworker. Oliver and Tuckerton have lost 1.5lbs each but leave it to our big Kentucky to have gained a pound despite his diet. For those invested in our kitties, Oliver and Tuckerton both weigh roughly 11.5lbs, and Kentucky weights a whopping 18.4lbs.

  We had the boys with us, and, when we say our hands were full, we mean that. The vet was so very kind. She told us her family is in the process of adopting, as well, but they had to put things on pause due to an abnormal MRI of her husband’s brain. Please keep them both in your prayers.

  Amazingly, none of the kitties are afraid of baby N the way they were of Hudson. They’re actually rather jealous. As I (Rachel) write this, baby N is snuggled in his swaddle sleeping next to me in the bassinet. Tuckerton is lying on my stomach and Oliver is purring in my ear while his front paw rests on my shoulder. At times, it feels like the second I set baby N down, at least one kitty shows up to receive pets or snuggles. Other times, they try to sit on him because they’re upset I am still holding him! I have pretty much zero alone time these days so I’m relying on the Lord extra to carry me through. I’m very much recharged by having alone time!

  We have more to share, but we will save it for the next update!! 🩵 👶🏼

• Update 24

  

  Baby N meets big brother A!

  February 16, 2025

  Most of these posts are written as “we”, but this one will be fully from Rachel’s heart.

  When I grieved the infertility I walked through prior to Hudson, I would get frustrated with certain women grieving secondary infertility as I would say, “you already have one. I just want one.” Only women who’d walked a really hard battle would get my empathy.

  I’ve heard that line since having Hudson, and it really stings. God’s definitely humbled me and made me realize that the grief may be different, but there is still very much grief. In fact, my grief this time has been more intense and more painful. I could list all the many things I’ve grieved, but I’ll highlight just one.

  One of the things I grieved is that Hudson had no siblings and no cousins. I myself am an only child and have no cousins. I grew up longing for siblings and cousins to play with and often felt very alone. While I had a hard childhood, much different than the pretty magical one we’ve created for Hudson, it would still break my heart watching him play alone in the backyard.

  Through adoption, Hudson’s gained a sibling. Not only that, he’s gained several boy “cousins” through baby N’s biological brother’s family. They came over to our house and brought food and presents. The boys made themselves at home and were an absolute joy to get to know.

  Their mom and dad are amazing, and we really clicked. Our biological boys have similarities that allow us to relate on levels other families don’t always understand. They also share a very similar adoption experience as our boys share the same birth mother. Both of those things can feel lonely and isolating, yet we “get” each other.

  If I hadn’t allowed God to heal my heart and my grief, I’d be grasping these things as a way to make myself feel better. I no longer feel that way. I’m able to see the true blessing that it is without using it as a way to override bitterness and sorrow.
  Gaining another family in this way is yet another way God’s answered my prayers. It’s like he is saying, “we could’ve done it your way, but My way is better.”

  It reminds me of this: Hudson begs me for yogurt, and I say no because I’m going to surprise him with ice cream later. He can’t have tons of dairy so I need to be selective in what he has. He is so angry at me because he can’t see the “better” thing coming.

  When I didn’t know if I could have a child biologically, I went to a fertility clinic and had lots of tests done. Not long after, I was driving by Memorial Hermann hospital listening to the radio. My ears opened to hear the words sung, “you’re closer than you think you are. Only moments from the break of dawn. All His promises are just up ahead. Maybe you just haven’t seen it yet.” I smiled and felt peace. Turns out, I was pregnant and didn’t know it.

  After we completed baby N’s nursery, I sat back in the rocking chair overcome with emotion. Those same words “magically” entered my brain, “you’re closer than you think you are…. all His promises are just up ahead”… we were chosen a week later. We are now seeing the prayers answered.

  God doesn’t have to speak to me so clearly, yet He does. He didn’t have to answer my prayers in these ways, yet He’s chosen to. I can’t tell you how humbling it is. I am the most undeserving person. And while I so wish my body wasn’t still so broken and in need of more repair, I am grateful that we have a God who uses the brokenness for good.

  PS- I look forward to sharing these photos once I don’t have to censor anymore. 😉

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