EDITOR’S NOTE — With November being National Adoption Month, we wanted to share a few personal stories from those who contribute to the work of TAB Media and The Alabama Baptist each week. We would love to hear your stories as well. Share those with us at news@thealabamabaptist.org.
Our granddaughter, Birti, adopted from Ethiopia in 2012, has taught our family to grasp unconditional love to a greater extent. We also more fully appreciate the value and the challenges of diversity.
And we’ve been introduced to Ethiopian cuisine and love to watch Birti’s face light up when she’s eating food from the country of her birth.
Connie Pearson
Correspondent
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My husband, Owen, and I adopted our son, Avery, in 2001, in part because of infertility issues but also because we felt a strong urging of the Holy Spirit to pursue adoption.
When our biological daughter, Stella, came along two years later, we could see God’s perfect timing in bringing us all together as a family. Parenting both our children has taught us to appreciate how God gives each person unique abilities and personalities. Truly our hearts, not our genes, make us a family.
Carrie McWhorter
Content editor
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Our granddaughter married a wonderful young man who had custody of his 5-year-old son, Chase. She later adopted Chase. During a Christmas dinner a few years ago, I asked everyone around our dining room table to share a special memory.
Before anyone could speak, our Chase quickly said, “My best Christmas memory is the one where Momma married my Daddy and adopted me. We became a family.”
Carolyn Tomlin
Correspondent
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My sister, Jennifer, and her husband, Jason, struggled with infertility for years.
But on July 6, 2012, I became an aunt when Caleb Hugh Walters was born, and my sister instantly became the mother she always longed to be.
Caleb is a sweet, athletic young boy who has blessed our family beyond measure. We are so thankful to our good Lord for bringing him into our family.
Lauren Grim
Creative services manager
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My wife, Bertha, and I — married all of four years now — have five children between us, three of whom were adopted.
Bertha and her late husband of 52 years, Gary, adopted Lari and Jeff.
My late wife of 52 years, Margaret, and I had two sons, Neil and Marty, then adopted our daughter, Carla, from Korea.
They’re all middle-agers now and have given us a total of 14 grandchildren.
Joe McKeever
Cartoonist
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In March 2000, I found my grandson, Elijah Brock, sitting in the hallway, looking up at the family pictures hanging on the wall. When I asked him, “What are you doing?” He replied, “I’m looking at my Daddy.” I squalled. Because at the tender age of four, this child, who had never known his father, now had a father.
That day, the passage found in Romans 8:15, “… but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” took on a deeper meaning to me. Later that year, my son adopted Eli.
Laura Lee Leathers
Correspondent
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