Chosen Before We Knew: The Joy of Becoming Parents

Early in our relationship, my wife and I both dreamed of having kids. She also wanted to be foster parents someday, and I agreed—as long as we had our biological kids first and let them grow.
We started planning names, thinking of Catherine Elizabeth or Vivienne Elaine for a girl, but we couldn’t settle on a boy’s name.
After several years and many doctor visits, we learned we couldn’t have kids, which nearly broke us. My wife took a job away from our families to start fresh. Once we settled in, we signed up to be foster parents.
A few months later, our case manager called about an abandoned infant. We jumped at the chance to apply. Two months in, we got a call that we were being considered for the baby. They invited us for an interview, and we barely slept that week.
During the meeting, after some small talk, we asked when we’d know their decision. The director’s face went pale, and my heart sank when she said, “This isn’t an interview. We’ve already chosen you.” My heart raced with joy.
We eagerly accepted and were asked if we wanted to meet the baby right away. My wife couldn’t contain her excitement. As we drove, she dropped her phone and gasped, “The baby is a girl, and her name is Vivienne Elizabeth.” I felt chills run through me.
When we arrived, we learned she was less than two months old. Holding her for the first time, she smiled, and I was overwhelmed with emotion. Seven months later, we finalized the adoption. From that first night, I knew she was our daughter.