Jared and I started dating 12 years ago. A year and a half into our relationship, I was told by my doctor that I may never be able to get pregnant. It was at this time that we first started talking about adoption potentially being part of God’s plan. We were married in 2013 and started trying to conceive a child not long after, but were unable to do so. We worked with several renowned Catholic doctors in four different states, but were still unable to get pregnant. After five years of infertility, we discerned that God was calling us to begin the adoption process. After looking into various agencies, Catholic Social Services was the only one we felt called to move forward with. Nine months after starting the process, we received the call from our social worker that we were chosen to be adoptive parents and our son would be born in three days. With the help of their families, we spent that weekend gathering baby supplies. I was admitted into the hospital after the birth mother was discharged and met our son when he was only a day old. The next day, Jared met him and we brought him home from the hospital that day. His adoption was finalized three and a half months later.
Jared and I see Catholic Social Services as an answered prayer for our family. Our social worker was with us every step of the way and made what is normally a difficult journey very smooth. She gave us the support we needed. After six long years of infertility, God gave us the gift of parenthood and immeasurable joy since then. We are so grateful for Catholic Charities and Catholic Social Services. Our family has been forever changed and blessed by their work. – Kelley Rehm