Children’s Home Little Red Stocking

Chris and Becky’s path to adopting their son, Kit, from South Korea was filled with twists and turns. Chris, himself adopted from South Korea, understood the profound impact adoption could have on a family’s life, but wasn’t fully prepared to see it from the angle of being an adoptive parent.

“I had talked about adoption with my parents, of course,” Chris said, “but I didn’t really understand what it meant from both the logistical process and the emotional process. In many ways, this was all new to me.”

The decision to adopt wasn’t an easy one. After a challenging first pregnancy and unsuccessful attempts to conceive again, the couple faced a crossroads. Becky struggled coming to terms with the idea that she may not have another biological child.

“I had to go through a big adjustment to be okay with that,” she said. “It took time because for the longest time, we had invested all our energy and hope in that goal. When you realize that’s not going to happen, you have to go through a grieving process for that, too.”

Becky and Chris began having long conversations about new possibilities for growing their family. Chris, who considers himself a rational thinker, suggested they each take a day to analyze three choices.

“That night, we each wrote down three paths – adoption, keep trying with fertility treatments, or decide we’re good with one child, and then pick which one we preferred.” Both chose adoption.

“It just hit me, like- oh, wow, we could actually do this!” said Beck. “But we didn’t really know where to start or what that would like.”

That’s when Children’s Home entered the picture.

With the guidance of Children’s Home, Becky and Chris found their way. In 2018, after months of anticipation, the couple, along with their daughter and Chris’s parents, traveled to South Korea to meet Kit, then nearly two years old. The moment they had been waiting for finally arrived.

“It was indescribable seeing him in person for the first time,” Becky said, her voice filled with emotion. “Your heart just explodes.”

In that moment, they knew their family was complete.

Throughout this journey, Children’s Home provided invaluable support. “They gave us each such detailed information about what to expect,” Becky explained. “So, when the process slowed down, we understood it was normal. And when things sped up, we knew how to handle it.”

Adopting his son from his birth country has given Chris a “second chance” to reflect on his own adoption. “It made me think about how my parents helped me connect with my birth culture. We’ll offer Kit the same opportunity, if he chooses to explore it. Next summer, we plan to visit South Korea to see his foster mother and explore the city where he was born.”

Through the adoption process had its share of challenges, the guidance from Children’s Home helped their family weather each obstacle.

“The waiting, the frustrations – they all melted away when we brought Kit home,” Becky said. “It was the most incredible gift we could have ever imagined.”