They say, “God writes the best stories.” Here’s ours.
In 2007, we found ourselves sitting across from one another at a birthday party of a mutual friend. The conversation went a little like this…
“So Laura, what’s your major?”
“International affairs and modern languages – I’m focusing on Mandarin.”
“Why Mandarin?”
“I want to move to China and work with orphans.”
“Oh really, my brother and sister are both adopted from Bulgaria. I have a passion for orphans as well.”
2 weeks later we said, “I love you.” A year later Andrew proposed. The year after that, we married during our junior year at Georgia Tech. It was love at first sight, and on some level, it was “adoption” at first sight. We planned a future together and set out on the great adventure of life.
4 years after marriage we welcomed our precocious first son, Perry. 15 months later we welcomed our dramatic middle, August. 15th months after his birth came along our joy-baby, Bo. Needless to say, our hands were full; and we heard that from strangers often! “My your hands are full!”
After much prayer, wise counsel, and soul searching we decided, our hands are full...but love makes room. We feel in 2020, God is bringing to fruition the calling of our youth. We are saying “yes” to adoption! We are partnering with Lifeline Children’s Services to bring a child into our family through the China special needs program.
We feel at complete peace about our decision to grow our family through adoption, and our boys could not be more excited! They pray for their baby sister daily and cannot wait to meet her. Perry can’t wait to teach her to play Mario Kart, Bo wants to teach her to ride a bike, and Gus can’t wait to teach her “how to be brave.”
Right now, so much seems uncertain. What started as a smooth and easy process, has quickly become complicated due to Covid-19, but we know God has gone before us. We trust He has a plan and will be faithful to bring fruit to the seeds planted in our hearts long ago.
In Him,
Andrew and Laura Cooper
