Adoption: A Love Story
Donation protected
This is a love story. But not your typical “boy meets girl” love story. Sure, it began that way - as they so often do. When Paul met Alisa, it didn’t take them long to realize they were two complimentary souls heading straight for a white wedding. But this love story is about more than that. It is about being blindsided by an advanced cancer diagnoses just a month after marriage. It’s about the reality of a life turned upside down as Paul underwent surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, stem cell transplants, and long hospital stays.
And years later, when Paul was finally pronounced in remission, it’s about the joy and relief. But it’s also about the sadness and longing that accompanies the realization that a house bursting with children just won’t happen; that to start a family at all, they would need the help of others. But mostly, it’s about the selfless act of one biological mother to place her baby girl in Paul and Alisa’s arms and call her theirs. It’s about Paul and Alisa and their adoption journey, which was not easy nor painless, but was worth it a thousand times over. More than anything, Paul and Alisa wanted a family, and after 3 years of prayers, meetings, profiles, paperwork, failed adoption placements and a depleted savings they were able to bring their daughter, Kaia home.
Some would say this is a beautiful ending to their story. But it gets better. Because this love story has a twist. Through a completely unexpected and surprising turn of events, they now have the opportunity to adopt Kaia’s biological brother as well.
It has been 8 years since Paul and Alisa paid for their first adoption. In those 8 years, though they considered themselves blessed beyond expectation, they desperately wanted their family to grow. Paul and Alisa yearned to call another child their own, Kaia yearned for a sibling to love. It seemed a lot to hope for and very unlikely given their previous experiences. Fortunately Paul, Alisa and Kaia will be able to bring another beautiful baby - a boy - home when he is born in March. But this time they need a little more help.
By working with LDS Adoption Services, they were able to pay for their first adoption and accompanying expenses in full. Unfortunately, LDS Services is no longer operating locally, and their new adoption service is considerably more expensive. The costs associated with this adoption and related fees will total $18,000. This is an expense they were unprepared for. Recently Alisa's parents found their house payments to be such a financial burden that they were at risk of losing their home. Rather than allow that to happen, Paul and Alisa used their savings to purchase the home and took over the payments, allowing them to remain. Additionally, they only learned of the impending adoption in late December - three months prior to when baby will be born. Therefore, they have been unable to build a savings as they were with their first adoption.
As Alisa’s sister, I’ve been able to watch this journey firsthand. Though I can’t claim to fully understand the ups and downs of this long and sometimes frustrating process, I can speak with some amount of certainty. There is no love like a parents’ love. There is no heartbreak like a parents’ heartbreak. Alisa and Paul have experienced both. Cancer took Paul to the brink of death, and they overcame that trial with grace and dignity. Their first adoption fell through after they had already fallen in love with the newborn baby girl and they mourned the loss. They have wanted nothing more than to give Kaia the chance to know a sibling’s love and have worked tirelessly toward that end - waiting for a foster or adoption placement for years. Through every frustration, adversity, trial and unhappiness, I have watched them pull themselves up by the bootstraps, face it head on and continue forward with a strength and eventual happiness that is inspiring.
$18,000 is a hefty burden for any family to shoulder. You could lift some of this burden, and in the process, contribute to the happiness of our whole family. Two sets of grandparents, 11 aunts and uncles, and 13 cousins thank you. An eager mom and dad, an excited would-be sister thank you. I thank you!
Please, help this beautiful family add one more member and complete their love story with a happily ever after!
And years later, when Paul was finally pronounced in remission, it’s about the joy and relief. But it’s also about the sadness and longing that accompanies the realization that a house bursting with children just won’t happen; that to start a family at all, they would need the help of others. But mostly, it’s about the selfless act of one biological mother to place her baby girl in Paul and Alisa’s arms and call her theirs. It’s about Paul and Alisa and their adoption journey, which was not easy nor painless, but was worth it a thousand times over. More than anything, Paul and Alisa wanted a family, and after 3 years of prayers, meetings, profiles, paperwork, failed adoption placements and a depleted savings they were able to bring their daughter, Kaia home. Some would say this is a beautiful ending to their story. But it gets better. Because this love story has a twist. Through a completely unexpected and surprising turn of events, they now have the opportunity to adopt Kaia’s biological brother as well.
It has been 8 years since Paul and Alisa paid for their first adoption. In those 8 years, though they considered themselves blessed beyond expectation, they desperately wanted their family to grow. Paul and Alisa yearned to call another child their own, Kaia yearned for a sibling to love. It seemed a lot to hope for and very unlikely given their previous experiences. Fortunately Paul, Alisa and Kaia will be able to bring another beautiful baby - a boy - home when he is born in March. But this time they need a little more help.
By working with LDS Adoption Services, they were able to pay for their first adoption and accompanying expenses in full. Unfortunately, LDS Services is no longer operating locally, and their new adoption service is considerably more expensive. The costs associated with this adoption and related fees will total $18,000. This is an expense they were unprepared for. Recently Alisa's parents found their house payments to be such a financial burden that they were at risk of losing their home. Rather than allow that to happen, Paul and Alisa used their savings to purchase the home and took over the payments, allowing them to remain. Additionally, they only learned of the impending adoption in late December - three months prior to when baby will be born. Therefore, they have been unable to build a savings as they were with their first adoption.
As Alisa’s sister, I’ve been able to watch this journey firsthand. Though I can’t claim to fully understand the ups and downs of this long and sometimes frustrating process, I can speak with some amount of certainty. There is no love like a parents’ love. There is no heartbreak like a parents’ heartbreak. Alisa and Paul have experienced both. Cancer took Paul to the brink of death, and they overcame that trial with grace and dignity. Their first adoption fell through after they had already fallen in love with the newborn baby girl and they mourned the loss. They have wanted nothing more than to give Kaia the chance to know a sibling’s love and have worked tirelessly toward that end - waiting for a foster or adoption placement for years. Through every frustration, adversity, trial and unhappiness, I have watched them pull themselves up by the bootstraps, face it head on and continue forward with a strength and eventual happiness that is inspiring.
$18,000 is a hefty burden for any family to shoulder. You could lift some of this burden, and in the process, contribute to the happiness of our whole family. Two sets of grandparents, 11 aunts and uncles, and 13 cousins thank you. An eager mom and dad, an excited would-be sister thank you. I thank you!
Please, help this beautiful family add one more member and complete their love story with a happily ever after!
Organizer and beneficiary
Kimberly Mueller
Organizer
Oshkosh, WI
Alisa Matthies
Beneficiary
