Domestic Adoption
Full House—Fuller Hearts
There are those who consider adoption to be an option only for the childless, for those couples who have had challenges building a family. But for others, like Julie and John Vander Weide, adoption is less about providing children for a childless home and more about affirming that children are a precious gift of God that deserve a loving and caring family.
The Vander Weides adopted their youngest daughter, Lynette, after the birth of their ninth biological child. They were considering a second adoption when they discovered they were expecting their tenth biological child. Soon after he was born, they began the process of adopting William, now their youngest at just under a year old.
While Julie had “always” wanted to adopt, it was after a series of miscarriages that she and John considered adoption in earnest. Even after the birth of biological children, the desire to adopt persisted.
“The most surprising learning for us when expanding our family through adoption was that our hearts and lives are as in love with and devoted to our adopted children as to our biological children,” says Julie. “That was our biggest fear: that we wouldn’t love a child not born to us. God worked a wonder in our hearts like he did when we had only one child and didn’t see how we could possibly love another child as much as our first. He enlarged our hearts and our vision of what a family could be.”
Five of the Vander Weide children are old enough to be living outside of the home and two are in high school, but Julie homeschools the children until they reach the eighth grade, which means that five of the kids are under her care full time. Adopting meant that all the kids had to adjust to new schedules that include naps and diaper changes, and all of them had to make room for another sibling. “Whether children are four years old or adults, they need to know that their parents love and care for them,” says Julie.
Because both Lynette and William are African-American, while the other members of the VanderWeide family are Caucasian, Julie has had to learn about different hair care, but more importantly she has learned that most people are very gracious, and that “many African Americans have been very encouraging to our family.”
Even in this large and busy family, adoption made the family feel complete. Says Julie, “The heartaches of miscarriages and broken dreams were redeemed through adoption, and our lives are richer.”
More information
Learn more about domestic infant adoption by calling 1.800.677.2367.
