Link's Family

To know our story, you first have to know the story of Jessie’s parents.  They were foster parents for medically fragile and disabled children for most of Jessie’s childhood. Over the course of their tenure as foster parents, they found out about the National Down Syndrome Adoption Network. The NDSAN was in its infancy at the time, but her parents joined and were matched with three children. Jessie’s three adopted siblings have played a big part in our lives. We have been by their sides through the ups and downs of growing up, and becoming adults who are active in their communities. 

When we started planning for a family of our own, we always felt we would adopt a child with Down syndrome after having a few biological children. After two still births we knew we would only build our family through adoption.  After months of prayer we also knew the *only* way to complete our family would be with an extra chromosome. 

After some fundraising and an attempt at joining an agency as a foster family, we followed in the footsteps of Jessie’s parents and joined NDSAN. Within 6 months we were matched with a local family, but unfortunately, that child was also stillborn. We were then matched again but that adoption also fell through.

Almost a year to the day of our first match we got THE CALL… but we missed it. Not anticipating any news about a baby, we had taken a day to unplug and turn off our cell phones. When we turned them back on later that evening we each had over 12 messages! We called Stephanie Thompson from the NDSAN to find out what was so urgent. “Your son is being born RIGHT NOW! You need to get packed and get there ASAP!”  To say we were in shock is an understatement!!

The next few weeks were a whirlwind of travel, NICU and doctor appointments… but we finally, finally had the son we had been praying for, for over 13 years.

We are blessed to be part of NDSAN. We are blessed to be a part of this wonderful community. 

We are forever blessed to be Link’s parents.