AdoptUsKids | Home

Family Stories About Adoption

The Bahrenburg family

The Bahrenburg Family


Lisa always wanted a large family and I always knew adoption would be a way I would build a family. My middle brother was adopted so it was a part of my life growing up. Adoption was first discussed as a way to build our family prior to us getting married. So before we even knew we would have trouble conceiving a child we both felt it was something we were meant to do. However, years of infertility treatments and disappointments (we had four miscarriages) made it clear adoption was to be our only road to a family. We also saw adoption as a tenement of our faith.


My mother especially has been very supportive, both emotionally and financially, through each adoption. We are truly blessed to have a lot of support from our extended family, friends, neighbors, caseworkers, etc. Recently a counselor working with us on behavior issues with our Alizabeth said she has not seen a more beautiful family. We agree!


We celebrate everyone's birthday in a really BIG way. It is so important to us that they know how special they are and how important they are to us. This is a time they are definitely in the spotlight. Another thing that we began is on Thanksgiving we’ll finger paint together and with handprints make our own parade on paper. Everyone decorates their handprint and we date it. It is something we have to look back on year, after year. And it's a way to see how much the children have grown from the previous year.


Probably what has surprised us the most is how quickly our family has grown. In just over six years (03/08/00, first placement; 03/31/06, most recent placement) we have gone from no children, to five! And we hope to adopt again.