How did we get here?

At the risk of divulging too much information too soon, I know many people wonder how families come to adoption in the first place. Every adventure is unique, and undertaken only after serious consideration and commitment. Adoption stories are very personal, sometimes painful, and always full of suspense. We decided to share our story on this blog as a way to communicate with family and friends about our adoption. We also hope it will serve as a record of this phase of our life for our future children. 

For us the adventure began 9 years ago, on Melissa's 30th birthday, when we officially started "trying" for a baby. After nearly ten years of trying not to have a child, we were not surprised when we didn't get pregnant right away. It had taken friends a year or more, and besides, we were still young. We also happened to be living in a travel trailer deep in the Sierra Nevadas, building a house out of pocket and working way too many jobs - so basically, in no way prepared for a child. 

Two and a half years later, the house built, we had better (and fewer) jobs and were absolutely thrilled when the home pregnancy test came up positive! A few days of sheer joy and terror and picking out names ended quickly with a ruptured fallopian tube, emergency surgery with complications and a months long recovery. More surgery (elective) and fertility clinic testing and consultations ultimately led to the heartbreaking realization that we would not be having our own biological  children. The word "adoption" was uttered first on that sad drive home from the clinic in Reno, more as an attempt to comfort, I think, than as a serious consideration. 

Well, too tired to finish this tonight...