Kevin and Rachelle Ross were ready to start a family but after almost five years of unsuccessfully being able to conceive, the disheartened couple decided to turn to adoption.
They could not have known that the road to adopting a child would be filled with disappointment, discouragement and heartache; yet God’s plan would unfold in the most perfect way.
Kevin Ross told Live Action News, “We thought we would just have a baby, but it was not meant to be, so we met with an adoption consultant. She educated us about the process and the associated costs, which we learned could be overwhelming. We wanted to work with Christian agencies that focus on placing babies in two-parent homes.”
Shortly afterward, Ross received a call from an attorney friend in Atlanta who had a young girl who wanted to place her baby for adoption. The attorney told Ross he would have to pay expenses and sign a contract.
“We were excited we were going to be parents,” Ross said. “My wife purchased a little outfit. But when the due date came and went, we learned the mother had changed her mind. She had a 10-day window in which to do so. We knew this going in, but it didn’t dampen the disappointment.”
The couple then turned to the two Christian agencies the consultant had provided. Covenant Care in Macon, Georgia, which was closer and the other in Oklahoma City. Covenant Care could only put the couple on a waiting list. The agency in Oklahoma required them to attend a weekend workshop to be considered for the active list.
Ross said, “We had to fly to Oklahoma City to get educated on their adoption process, then we were required to schedule a home study so we could prove we were fit to be parents. I contacted Covenant Care to do the home study since it was relatively close.
Unfortunately, the Rosses never heard back from the Oklahoma agency after completing all the requirements to be considered as adoptive parents.
“I suspected they really didn’t do many adoptions,” Ross said. “But it was a lot of work to just be on their active list. I can see why so many couples get discouraged going through the process and seeing nothing come to fruition.”
Then, the Rosses received a phone call from Covenant Care about a young woman who had viewed their profile and thought the couple would be a good fit. Once again, the Rosses sent money and signed a contract – only to be shattered when the young woman skipped town three months later.
Kevin Ross said, “We did everything possible to have a baby, including two adoption attempts. My wife was ready to give up and there was nothing I could do to comfort her or ease her pain. Babies are so hard to get, and we knew it could take years, but we didn’t imagine the heartache and frustration.”
As time went on, the Rosses clung to their faith, but it was agonizing to see others building their families while they had waited endlessly to adopt, only to be repeatedly denied the chance to be parents.
“Seven years of heartache disappeared” with a surprising phone call
While at work one day, Kevin Ross received a call from the case worker. She occasionally checked in and this day, Ross thought no differently when he took her call.
Ross said, “She said, ‘we have a little girl for you to come get. The deal is done, nobody can change their mind, this is your baby.’ I couldn’t believe it. I wanted to know if she had talked to my wife yet and she hadn’t.”
Rachelle Ross was teaching that day, but luckily the children were at lunch when her husband walked into her empty classroom.
“Wearing a concerned look, I grabbed her arms,” Ross said. “She was alarmed naturally, thinking something was wrong, but the moment I told her we had a baby girl that was ours, seven years of heartache just disappeared in an instant.”
Rachelle announced she was planning to tell the principal she was going to take six months off to raise their daughter.
The case worker had told Ross they could take their daughter home after a short ceremony — and while the baby’s parents wanted to meet them, they were not required to do so.
“We agreed to meet with the parents, who came holding a teddy bear,” Ross said. “The meeting was brief. We later learned the baby’s parents had dated in high school, gotten pregnant but the girl had an abortion without her boyfriend knowing. They broke up and later reunited in college where she got pregnant again. This time, they pledged to place the baby for adoption.”
The young couple had taken the baby to Child Services but didn’t want a private adoption, so they contacted Covenant Care and saw the Rosses’ profile, and knew they were the right couple to raise their child.
Concerned about the cost of the adoption, Ross had conferred with his banker, a fellow church member, who told Ross to write the check — the money would be in his account.
Ross said, “And a friend loaned us a car seat in which to bring Annie home,” Ross said. “That’s small-town America. Everyone was there for us.”
God brings adoption search to a flourishing finish
As the Rosses drove down their street toward home, they could see pink balloons attached to their mailbox, and a laminated banner across the front porch welcoming the new family. When they entered the home, the couple was astounded to see the spare bedroom filled with baby furniture, a diaper Genie, a supply of diapers and a closet filled with baby clothes.
“Someone from my congregation had a key and when the pastor told the church where we had gone, they all got together to surprise us,” Ross said. We didn’t have to purchase any supplies for six months. God’s people took care of everything for us.”
Today, Annie is 28 years old. The family enjoys traveling and recently returned from a trip to Italy. “Annie always knew she was adopted,” said Ross. “She loved to tell her story from the time she was in kindergarten. We told her we’d help her connect with her natural parents if that was her desire, but she never wanted to.”
The Rosses are grateful for the young couple who chose life, and they see God’s hand in every step of their journey. Ross first shared his inspirational story with Choose Life Radio where he was interviewed on-air by host Jill Taylor.
“Yes, we got mad at God at times,” Ross said. “The trials we went through had purpose. If it had worked out like we wanted, we wouldn’t have our Annie. God knew best and everything came together as it was meant to. Our experience taught us to trust His will for our lives.”
