‘The First Time I Held Avery, I Knew She Was Meant for Us’

‘The First Time I Held Avery, I Knew She Was Meant for Us’
Adoption Brings Joy to Couple
Jason and Rachel Take First Step Toward Adoption

A phone call to Catholic Charities in 2004 has changed the lives of Jason and Rachel.

Jason and Rachel were married six years ago. After the first two years of being married, they decided it was time to start a family. When pregnancy didn’t happen, they sought help through a fertility specialist.. After going through the emotional and financial hardships that many couples experience with in vitrofertilization, Jason and Rachel decided to seek help building a family through adoption. With the help of a friend, they heard about Catholic Charities.

Jason, who is a police officer, worked with a man who shared that he and his wife had adopted a child through Catholic Charities and suggested they call the agency. “We are so glad we took that first step two years ago and made that phone call,” Jason said.

Couple Goes Through Application Process

The couple began by completing a pre-application form for adoption. In the pre-application stage, a family is waiting until they receive a call from the agency to say it is time to begin the home study, which is the formal application stage. Once a family has the home study completed and has been approved by the agency, they are placed on a list considered the open files.

Once in the open files, a prospective adoptive family puts together a “profile book,” similar to a scrapbook, which is shown to birth mothers who have chosen to place their baby for adoption. A profile book is a photograph book, which gives the birth mother a look into the adoptive family’s lives.

Jason and Rachel received a call from Catholic

November is recognized as National Adoption Month.

For information about how to go about adopting a child through Catholic Charities, contact Sabra Ruminer, adoption coordinator at Catholic Charities, at (405) 523-3012 or 1-800-375-8514.

The agency offers maternity counseling and assistance for women with crisis pregnancies, including a residential program for teenage mothers. Catholic Charities also helps with searches of birth mothers and fathers of persons adopted through the agency.

Charities in March 2005, saying it was time to begin the formal application stage of adoption. It had been four years since they had been making every attempt to become parents. During an office visit in the fall of 2005 with Catholic Charities adoption coordinator Sabra Ruminer, Rachel asked Sabra if she was working with any girls or women who were planning on placing their baby for adoption. Sabra reported there were several birth mothers she was working with but did not know their intentions at the time.

“When Jason and I left the office that day, it was then that I felt in my heart that we were finally going to get our baby,” Rachel said.

Over the next few weeks, Rachel shared with friends and family members that she knew one of the mothers was going to choose them.

During the Christmas holidays in 2005, Rachel felt this would be their last Christmas without a baby in their lives. Shortly after Christmas, Jason and Rachel received the call that they had prayed for so many times. A birth mother had chosen them for placement for her baby girl.

“It was ironic, because the week before I had received a baby catalogue in the mail and had picked out crib bedding for a baby girl,” Rachel said.

Although they knew they had a love for children, the feeling they had from the first day showed them what a true blessing children are. “There are times I get overwhelmed and tearful just looking at Avery,” Jason said.

Both Jason and Rachel tear up just telling how special and loved their baby is and how perfect God’s plan was for them.

“I first had concerns on whether the baby would bond with me,” Rachel said. “But the first time I held Avery, I knew she was meant for us,” she said.

Jason and Rachel share how their perspective and priorities have changed since becoming parents. They recently sold a lake cabin where they used to spend every other weekend.

“We now just enjoy staying home with Avery and participating in more family outings and church activities,” they said.

Sabra Ruminer complimented Avery’s parents. “Jason and Rachel are an amazing couple. This baby is blessed to have such loving parents. I admire their devotion and giving spirit. We wish the family happiness and many blessings,” she said.