Our happy family

We Celebrate National Adoption Month!!!

It’s National Adoption month, and LDS Family is encouraging all of us to get the word out about adoption. I thought I’d share our family’s adoption experience. It's a sad story with a very happy ending!!! There are thousands of more abortions in this country yearly then there are adoptions. Grandparents are raising their children’s children. Every child needs the opportunity to have a mother and a father. As, you can see, the family unit is unraveling in this country. There are so many wonderful families that are praying for children to come into their lives, we were one of those families.

Eric almost died when we were 17. I knew then that I would never let this wonderful guy go, and I I’d marry him someday. Eric and I had the perfect life, so in love and felt so blessed. One year after our marriage I had the first miscarriage. It was an awful experience and I was so glad to have Eric in my life. After 2 years of marriage I was pregnant again. One night early in the pregnancy I thought this one was over too. The pain was terrible. Eric gave me a blessing that our baby would live. I had instant peace come over me. It was a long 7 months, but we made it. Sariah Rose was born healthy at 4 lbs, the day after Thanksgiving. We had so much to be thankful for. 2 years after Sariah we were blessed to be pregnant again. This time everything was going smoothly. It was almost Christmas, actually the day before Christmas Eve. I felt an overwhelming feeling to go to the OB to check on our baby boy. It was just 2 Dr.s, and me and we couldn’t believe it, the baby was not moving. I felt like I was in a dream and I would wake up any minute. I drove myself home in so much pain and sadness. Eric met me at home and we packed to go to the Hospital to deliver our deceased baby boy. He did not want to come out; he was finally delivered the day after Christmas. I was a new person, this had changed us forever. I struggled with posttraumatic stress syndrome, for years. I fought so hard to get out of that miserable place. Through prayer, counseling, exercise, great friends and family, I was able to pull myself out from under that misery. After the death of our son we had two more miscarriages and lots of fertility treatment. We decided to go to one more Dr. for a second opinion. He looked at my chart and asked us if we’d ever consider adoption. That’s all we needed to hear to move on from that chapter of our lives.

Marcus:

When the word got out that we wanted to adopt it seemed like everyone had a baby for us. 2 private adoptions fell through. We were so sad. We decided to get certified through LDS Family Services. Sariah wanted a baby soooo bad. She would pray EVERY day for a sister. We’d even catch her praying in her room alone. Her faith was unbelievable!! She soon started telling her friends that I was going to have a baby. I was so offended when a mom asked if I was pregnant. I had a dream one night, that this woman was handing me her baby. I woke up thinking how real it felt. A week later on Mother’s Day we got the call. A birth mom had chosen us to adopt her baby boy. We drove down and met our birth mom, Brandy and her little baby boy. I felt like I knew Brandy. We were so grateful and humbled that she wanted us. Brandy said that our profile was on the very bottom of the stack, and right when she saw us she knew we were the ones. And as she read about our family it confirmed to her that we were the one. We took our little Marcus home the next day and he’s been such a blessing to our family. We’re blessed to have him sealed to us for time and all eternity, in the Sacramento temple when he was 7 months old. It was a beautiful day for our family. That beautiful place is where eternal families are made. He is ours forever!!!

Dominic:

Eric and I wanted to adopt again once our new house was complete. We had feelings for months that Brandy was pregnant again. I wanted her to know that she didn’t have to be ashamed in telling us. So, I posted on this blog that we wanted another baby. She emailed me a week later with the news that she was pregnant. Eric and I rushed to get certified to adopt once again. We were so excited to add another member to our family. Again we were humbled that Brandy wanted us again. We have all formed a great bond over the years. We love Brandy so much!! I was so honored and humbled that she wanted me in the room with her through the whole labor and delivery. I held her hand and tried to distract her from the pain. I couldn’t stop crying as I witnessed the birth of our little Dominic. He is the sweetest baby boy, so happy and sleeps too. We can’t wait to take him to the temple this March.

Adoption has blessed our lives so much! We are so grateful to have these 2 wonderful little boys in our lives. We are grateful for our Sariah, and what a strong, wonderful sister and daughter she is. Eric and I are more in love today than ever before. Our trials have made us stronger and grateful. We will never forget our baby boy. We celebrate Christmas, the day he returned to our Heavenly Father. We hang special ornaments on our tree for him. Sariah keeps his box in her room, filled with pictures and little clothes her brother once wore. She loves having his things near her, so she’ll never forget him. I’m sure our baby was there, welcoming my brother home last April. It gives me so much comfort and peace. We love our family and wouldn’t have it any other way. Families are forever!

Love,

Devon

HAPPY 50TH BIRTHDAY GRANDMA TINA

We hope you like your Christmas quilt. Mom just needs to finish the binding then we'll ship it. We love you very much!! We miss you soooo much too. Have the very best Birthday! Love, Sariah, Marcus, Dominic, Eric and Devon

Sariah's 7th Bithday!!!

Daddy and Marcus playing ball!

Cute little Domi!!

Our sweet little baby has grown so much! He's our biggest baby, the best sleeper and such a sweet baby!!





He's even cute when he's sad.

Halloween Night!

Dinner at our families favorite restaurant, Mikuni! We all love our sushi!! Raw fish, yummy.

Marcus for President

No more discrimination!

New President, a victory for our Marcus/Prop8

Hooray!!!! It's looking good for prop 8. I'm so grateful that marriage is once again saved. I'm so proud to have been apart of this historic campaign to keep marriage sacred. It shows that there are still many Calif. who understand the importance of marriage and what it means. I'm proud of our church for taking a stand for righteousness and getting involved quickly and efficiently. It was a wonderful journey... All my friends and family out here put their shoulder to the wheel and spent many many hours, sacrificed their time and money for this important cause. We took many beatings, but never gave up. I thank our Father in Heaven!!!

Obama President...Although I'm disappointed that McCain lost, it's still a historic day. His victory shows the American dream..Our country has come so far. Having an African American son makes me grateful that racial barriers are coming down.I see his sweet loving face and wonder why and how people can judge a person by the color of their skin. Can you see Marcus George Tillotson President? Eric and I can!