Posted on October 21, 2025 by Mike & Elizabeth, Parents
Adoption
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Mike grew up in a church where adoption was a part of the DNA. Elizabeth grew up witnessing close hand the adoption of cousins and of families she babysat for. It was hard for Elizabeth to contain excitement when on date two with Mike she realized God had let her path cross with someone who had a heart for adoption. What an amazing gift God gave us in a spouse who shared a passion and desire for adoption. Shortly after we married, health issues helped us realize adoption would also be the safest way to grow our family.
Like most adoptive families our story is one that involved a waiting process with a roller coaster of emotions. We spent most of 2024 praying for a baby before the holiday season. We had been home study ready for a year and a half and actively trying for different adoptive situations for roughly a year. We spent Thanksgiving week traveling with a car seat and supply bag in our car waiting on a deciding birth mom only to receive yet another “they liked you, but they picked one of the other families”. Going into Christmas our hearts were a little heavy. We took comfort in “Immanuel: God with Us” that Christmas season.
We got a surprise text a little after Christmas letting us know a birth mom had just had a baby and was wanting to look at adoption profiles that afternoon. We were warned that the potential birth father was still contemplating pursuing custody as well so there was a risk that we may never actually get to keep this baby. We prayed about it and still wanted to be presented. The next morning we got “the call” from the LFS social worker, Emma, letting us know the birth mom had chosen us and was asking how quickly we could be at the hospital. We could not stop our tears. What relief, joy, and disbelief! With rushing thoughts, it was difficult to think clearly enough to pack a change of clothes and a car seat. We facetimed our family on the way to the hospital letting them know we had received “the call”.
We made a quick stop on our way to pick out flowers and thank you card. It was then it started to hit how bittersweet this beautiful thing was that was happening to us. No thank you card can help you put to words the gratitude and disbelief you experience when a stranger gives you such a blessing at extreme sacrifice to themselves.
Emma sat us down at the hospital and walked us through where things stood with the potential birth father and how to be sensitive to the birth mother. We told her we understood the risk and still wanted to meet this baby and his mom. Baby’s mom had stayed with him since his birth and continued to visit throughout the day while we were there. He was beautiful which made sense because his mom was beautiful. We told his mom we intended to keep one of his names as a middle name. She asked that we keep “Scott” as it was her dad’s middle name. We decided to name him Isaac Scott-Isaac because like Abraham and Sarah, we waited on the Lord and he provided a son. We took turns with her feeding and holding Isaac and tried to use that time in the room together to get to know his mom a little better. At one point Emma asked her why she was smiling and she said it was because she could tell we were a good fit. We used that time to begin discussing what she wanted an open adoption to look like. She had a previous adoption with an openness plan she appreciated. We took a look at that agreement and felt comfortable saying yes to everything in that plan. We were elated to spend the night with Isaac in the hospital.
In the morning his birth mom came back early to soak in more time with him. She asked Emma to attend her meeting with her lawyer. When they returned from that meeting Emma informed us we needed to talk because everything had changed. While Isaac’s birth mom wanted us to have custody she felt strongly it was best to avoid Isaac living with his potential birth father. She was beginning to think the best way forward would be for her to keep Isaac. His birth mom asked that we meet this man. If he was comfortable signing away his rights then Isaac’s birth mom would too. If he still wanted to pursue custody, she had prevent that by asking to move in with a family member. Basically, we were about to experience the most important interview of our life. We sent SOS prayer texts to our families and Community Group. We cried the hardest we ever have as a couple wondering if we’d get to parent this boy we’d grown to love.
When we met Isaac’s dad after a bit of small talk and introductions we said, “I recognize this is an extremely hard and emotionally charged situation. How can we be helpful to you as you make an important decision?” He basically said on the way to the hospital he had thought and prayed about it and had a significant change of heart. He realized as much as he cared about this baby, he was not in a position where he could provide what the baby needed. We expressed our willingness for an open adoption and shared the terms we had with Isaac’s mom. We also asked if given the chance to raise Isaac if there were certain values or goals his Dad was hoping we could honor. He asked three things of us: don’t raise him in a cussing/yelling household, don’t put him in fulltime daycare, and go to church. We found those to be 3 easy yesses. We visited all together a little longer and then Mike and I stepped away so Isaac’s birth parents could discuss whether they both felt adoption was best for Isaac. They both did!
We took Isaac home on New Years Eve at 8pm, so in a way, God has a sense of humor and still gave us a baby before the holidays were over. Isaac brings us such joy!! We’re so thankful for all the no’s that led to such a wonderful yes. He’s adorable, expressive, social, chatty, and playful.
We’ve developed a relationship with Isaac’s birth parents that we are so thankful for! We send them regular photos and updates and we’ve even met up with them at a park and had a fantastic time together. We hope to meet up again closer to the holidays. They have both since expressed confidence in their decision to place Isaac with us. It brings them joy to know he is thriving and that they can continue to be in relationship with him.
We come away from this experience dazzled by how amazing God’s love and faithfulness is. Our family and church community have been incredibly supportive. We’re so thankful to Isaac’s loving birth parents! We also cannot say enough about how amazing the LFS team has been in this process. More than any other agency we’ve encountered, they go above and beyond in their communication with adoptive families. More importantly, they also support birth families well. Their love and passion for all in the adoptive process is evident. We’re so thankful for all of you who partner with Lutheran Family Services. Thank you for making Isaac’s adoption possible!
Adoption is a journey of faith, love, and surrender—one that honors the courage of birth parents and the steadfast trust of adoptive families who follow God’s lead. Mike and Elizabeth’s story beautifully reflects what happens when God’s timing unfolds with perfect grace. Their son, Isaac, is a living reminder of God’s faithfulness and the incredible love shared between two families joined through adoption.
Lutheran Family Service is humbled to walk alongside families like Mike and Elizabeth, offering Christ-centered support, compassion, and guidance every step of the way.
Thank you for being part of this life-changing mission. Your prayers and financial gifts make it possible for LFS caseworkers to lovingly serve women facing unplanned pregnancies, support birth parents through difficult decisions, and help match children—like Isaac—with safe, nurturing, Christian homes.
Read more adoption stories like Issac’s HERE.
Support the work of Christian adoption through Lutheran Family Service HERE.
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