Chancellor Party of 3! Braxton's story

You know, God has to hit me on top of the head a lot of times before I will "get it", this is no exception!

Back in 2013, before we started the IVF cycle David and I started to consider adoption, we researched online, spoke to an agency, and talked, prayed, talked and prayed some more about it. At the time David was ready to jump in feet first, ready to get started on everything, I was not so ready. I wanted so badly to be pregnant, to have that experience, to "feel" all the things pregnant women feel, I didn't want to miss my "window" of having a baby by my own body and then regret not knowing what would have been if we had only tried IVF....well now we know lol.

So this last summer we were in talks with an adoption agency, sent all our paperwork in at the end of June first part of July,  had our home study done in early August and we made a profile book for birth mothers to look at and sent those in at the very end of August and then we went on vacation. We had been told by the agency that it takes a year or less to be matched with a birth mom, and our home study was still being written up and was not 100% complete. While on vacation in Florida we were stuck in our hotel room one morning because of a big rain shower that didn't seem to be letting up,  after a few hours I started to see some clearing skies and the sun start to peek out, and I headed down to the pool, I got down there and set up and I noticed I had an email and text from our adoption agency....

They had stated that they had a birth mom they wanted to "present" us to, and sent us her information for us to look over, we stated yes we wanted to be presented to her and then we looked at each other in disbelief! This birth mom happened to not contact the agency again, but wow, to be presented to a birth mom and our profile with the agency wasn't even complete?! Crazy! We get back from vacation and a few days later they stated they have another birth mom they want to present us to, we looked over her information and told them yes we wanted to be presented. This birth mother happened to pick another couple, but stated we were her 2nd choice. But, again, our homestudy was still not 100% complete, our profile with the agency wasn't completed yet, and we had been considered for 2 birth moms already?! WOW!

David and I thought it was a fluke and we would probably have to wait a bit longer before we get another email or text about another birth mom, it was coming on the end of September and we were just trying to plan for the holidays and keep our minds "busy". September 22 our profile on the adoption website was complete for potential birth parents to see, full on photos of us, a "Dear birth mother letter" fun facts about us and all the "basics" about us! We are still thinking that we would probably not get another email/text until after the new year.

September 24th we get a text about another birth mom....my mind at this point is kinda starting to get used to this drill, and not getting my hopes up too high, we look over her profile and decide that we want to be presented to her as well. September 28th, this was the day they had the meeting set up with this birth mom, she came in with the birth father and her 19 month old son to look at profile books and try to pick a family. During the discussions (before they showed her any books) her son kept grabbing our book and would bring it over to her, they would take it back and then time and time again he would pick up our book and bring it to her.

At 4pm September 28th we get the call/text/email that we have been waiting so very long for, she picked US! Wait....she picked us?!?! We were only 3 weeks into the "wait"! How can we already be matched?? She was having a little boy, and was scheduled to have a C-section on November 12th. This also happens to be David's birthday as well. So we have 6 weeks or so to prepare!

Speeding things up a bit in the story, we have a meeting with the birth parents the very next week, the birth father has straight blonde hair and blue eyes, the birth mother has dark curly hair and hazel/brown eyes, the opposite of what David and I are! The birth father kept saying that we were just "perfect" for this baby. We then went to every Dr's appts with her, got to be in the room with her when she had sonograms (she had one at every appointment) got to take home the sonogram photos, just like if I was the one pregnant.

Our families and friends really rallied around us, with in less than 3 weeks we had a crib, car seat, extra base, pack-n-play, changing table, dresser, blankets, diapers, wipes and oh so many clothes that he could never wear everything he has in his closet!!

God says to follow Him, to trust Him, to drop all your desires that you want for you, that what He wants for you is better. That He will provide if you trust Him and follow Him, and my oh my is that what happened!! Between the clothes, diapers, furniture, formula and all the other baby stuff that was quickly filling our house was just God's grace and proof that this, THIS was His hands at work, this was HIS plan, HIS way for us!

It was something that we wanted to keep quiet, and anyone who knows me, knows just how hard this is for me to do, so we told very few family, even fewer friends about it. This was a LONG 6 weeks for me to do that is for sure!!! But, oh the joy and wonderful feeling I got on November 12, 2015 at 2:06 when they rolled this tiny little man into the room that David and I were in, and I picked him up with tears in my eyes, my heart was instantly in love with this perfect, beautiful, gift from our Heavenly Father!

The last 5 weeks has been a crazy wild ride, but I would not trade any of it, I would not take back any of the IUI's or the IVF, the 6 losses, the shots, surgeries, needles, medications, mood swings, heartbreak, I would not take any of it back for the joy this little boy brings us.

All the glory and honor belong to our almighty God He has provided, guided and loved us through it all and by His grace, His mercy, His love we have this beautiful amazing gift. Braxton Edward Chancellor is the most beautiful baby I have ever seen, he has truly blessed our lives!

I can not wait to see where God leads us next, to see if we go through the agency again or if we adopt through the foster care system in the future. What I do know, it will be His will and His way, or we do not want it! Here is a few pictures of our beautiful gift for you to enjoy!!

Love,
Randi