Hi, I'm Jennifer Mae. I am the 5'4" wife to an incredible, 6'9" man, and mother to four children.

I placed my daughter with her adoptive parents right after she was born. That was 18 years ago, and there isn't a day that goes by that she and her family aren't part of my thoughts and prayers.

I am parenting three amazing kids with my husband. They all know that I chose adoption for my first daughter.  As a family, we love to celebrate her birthday every year with a special cake.  

We're Nate and Natalie and we had the privilege of working with Spirit of Faith Adoptions in 2015 when our daughter, Gracelyn was born. 

Adoption Is Full of Surprises!....

Like so many adoption stories, ours was full of surprises, excitement, and tears of joy.  Over the years, we've continued to be surprised and find joy through adoption. 

Grace is Such a Blessing!

Just like our biological children, Grace brings uniqueness and beauty to our family in a way only she can. She is friendly, generous, kind, boisterous, and she feels deeply. 

We Are Staying Connected Through SOFA 

Though we didn't get to meet Grace's birth mom, we talk about her with Grace often because we want Grace to know as much of her story as we know. Every year, we send updates through SOFA in hopes her birth mom will know we care even though we're not in regular contact.

There are definitely hard moments in adoption, but we wouldn't change our experience for anything.

We're Taylor and Caitlin. Our journey with Spirit Of Faith Adoptions has most certainly been a beautiful experience!  From the beginning (all the fun paperwork) to where we are today (placed with our beautiful baby girl, Clare) and for everything in between, SOFA has provided so much support and guidance. They have been responsive when we have questions, and ever present with us and our baby’s birth mother in prayer.  

Our Friends Recommended SOFA to us

We began our adoption journey with our county’s foster to adopt system. When we discerned that was not the route we were meant to pursue we began to explore different options. We were introduced to SOFA through several friend couples, one of whom had already adopted through SOFA and another who were just beginning their journey with SOFA. 

SOFA's Staff has personally experienced adoption

As we began the inquiry process, we were most impressed by how loving, respectful, and understanding they were to both the birth mothers and adoptive couples who they work with.  Since so many of the employees at SOFA have personal experience with adoption, their knowledge of the process and testimonies were invaluable to us.  Their love, respect, and knowledge was reaffirmed after we were matched with a truly beautiful birth mother who we were blessed to build a good relationship with as we awaited Clare’s birth. 

So Much Care and Support for All!

Our ability to build this relationship was facilitated by SOFA’s guidance, rooted in their love and support of women going through a difficult time and always seeing them as God’s precious daughters.  As an adoptive couple, we also greatly appreciated their support and understanding as we eagerly, and at times anxiously, awaited a placement.

She will always know her Birth Mom is an amazing woman!

One powerful reminder of dignity that SOFA gives to everyone in the process was the reminder that this child would be simultaneously “Our” baby and the “Birth mother’s” baby upon completion of the adoption.  In other words, while we are blessed by the opportunity to raise Clare we will always remember the amazing woman who gave her life and will also make sure Clare is also aware of that great gift from her strong birth mother. 

We are building a lifelong relationship

This reminder helped to guide us in building a relationship with Clare’s birth mother and to be forever grateful for the great gift she has given us.  While we know everyone’s adoption story will look different, we also know that SOFA consistently helps the birth families and adoptive families to participate well in whatever God’s plan is for their journey.

We are forever grateful to them as our teammates in the journey and continue to pray for all who are blessed to work with them!

The decision was not about what I was feeling, but what my son deserved.  My son deserved a 2 parent home.  My son deserved parents that were ready to be parents.  My son deserved to be raised by adults - not immature teenagers.  My son deserved a stable home environment.  My son deserved so many things, because he was my son; he deserved the best!  

I Couldn't Provide What He Needed  

The only reasons to keep my son were all selfish... they were all about my feelings, and what I felt I deserved or should be allowed to have or experience.  Handing over my perfectly healthy baby after being with him for nine months, but only holding and seeing him for three days, was the hardest thing I have ever done.  

I Know My Son Is Happy

I think about him... and sometimes, like on his birthday, I am sad... but most of the time when I think about him, I think about what a great life he has.  He has a great family, good parents, a brother, a happy, stable life, a pet... all the things I would given him myself if I could have... and that is how I sleep good at night.  I know he is happy, and has a solid foundation for a successful future.  

That is the most a parent could want for their child... and it is what I have given my son.

We are forever grateful for the precious lives of our two boys.

Our Sons Birth Moms Are Special to Us!

We love our children with our whole hearts, and their birth mothers also hold a very special place in our hearts.

We could never fully express to them how thankful we are that they chose to give their children life and to give them the opportunity to be raised in a loving, Christian home.

Brave, strong birth mothers!

These brave, strong women chose to entrust us with their most precious treasures. We strive to honor them with every parenting decision we make, and we cherish the gift of ongoing relationships with them.

Adoption is a Blessing

Adoption has deepened our understanding of the Lord’s love for His children and what it means to walk in faith.

Our Adoption Story Started Shortly Before We Were Married  

During our engagement, we often talked about the excitement of starting our family, and we were both very much on the same page.  We both thought 3-4 kids would be great. Both of us have relatives who have experienced the joys of growing their families through adoption.  We agreed adoption would be something we would be very interested in pursuing as well. 

Our Son Jack Was Born

We had Jack less than 2 years after we were married.  We were so excited, and I might have gotten a little over zealous.  While holding my newborn infant still in the hospital room, I asked the doctor when it was okay to start trying for child number 2.  Boy, that made Tracie’s eyes get pretty big.  

Then It Got Tough For Us.....

Unfortunately, things did not go so well for us during the next 3 years.  We were thrilled that we had Jack and that he was growing strong and healthy, but our attempts at providing him with the little sibling we all wanted so badly proved to be very difficult. 

Multiple Miscarriages and A Lot of Heartache

Through the many miscarriages and frustratingly unsuccessful fertility treatments, we grew disheartened.  All we wanted was a little baby to share our love with, and we just could not make it happen. 

At times, It Felt Like Our Prayers Were Not Being Heard At All

One particularly hard day, I looked over at the woman I loved so much. She looked both physically and emotionally exhausted.  I recalled the conversations we had a few years earlier about adoption.  Maybe this was the right time to act on them.  I brought it up to Tracie and she immediately agreed.  We started researching the process and were recommended to Spirit of Faith Adoptions.  

Two Adoption Possibilities, But Only One Was Truly Meant to Be!  

We were very excited to get matched with an expectant mom within a few months of completing our paperwork with Spirit of Faith.  That excitement didn’t last, however, as this mom that we had been matched with for months suddenly cut off all contact. We never heard from her again. 

Feelings of despair set in again as we waited for another opportunity to grow our family.  It seemed like forever, but on the way home after my last day before Christmas break (I am a high school teacher), Tracie called and told me another mother wanted to meet us.  We were cautiously overjoyed. 

A wonderful young woman had come to her local pregnancy care center and needed help.  She was 8 months pregnant, still in college, and from a foreign country.  She could not even tell her own parents because her culture would be so unaccepting of her pregnancy. 

She So Lovingly Chose Life and Adoption for Her Baby!

Although she was in a very difficult situation, she came to the right place.   A counselor there provided the support this young woman needed. She also connected her with Spirit of Faith when she said she was interested in adoption. 

She picked out our profile book.  We had a meeting at the pregnancy center to get acquainted.  We all seemed to feel an almost instant connection.  Soon after that, she gave birth to a beautiful, healthy baby girl, and we were on our way to becoming Ellie’s forever family!

We think of our daughter's birth mother frequently, and every time we do, we thank God for bringing our families together through adoption.