Names used with permission: Theresa, Harold, and Josie
Theresa, a Spanish teacher at a Catholic school, and Harold, an employee of the Augustine Institute, met while working together at a local parish and built their life together around shared faith, strong values, and a love for family. Though adoption has always held a special place in Theresa and Harold’s hearts, it wasn’t what they immediately pursued. After taking a break from trying to conceive and enduring the difficulties of career changes, they returned to the conversation. Through prayer and discernment, Harold and Theresa felt God inviting them to adopt.
For Theresa, adoption felt especially personal—her younger sister joined their family through adoption, and her family stayed active in the adoptive community as she grew up.
“It was just a normal part of growing up,” she said. “You just have more people to love you!”
As they began the process, Harold and Theresa were surprised at how many others were impacted by adoption.
“I was surprised how many people I knew had been touched by adoption,” Harold said. “People I never would have guessed.”
Their adoption journey took a joyful and unexpected turn when their agency called to let them know they had been matched—a week before Josie’s due date. “We finished dinner, then rushed to Target to get everything we needed,” Theresa recalled, laughing. Friends and family stepped in to help and threw baby showers once Josie arrived.
Josie, their first child, brings them joy every day. Just over a year old, she recently started walking, which has brought them much joy and kept them on their toes! They adopted Josie at birth through an open adoption and stood in the delivery room when she entered the world. Since then, they’ve stayed in contact with her birth mother and have been able to visit with her a few times since Josie’s birth.
They first heard about the Archbishop Robert J. Carlson Adoption Grant (ARJC) through the Good Shepherd Adoption Agency. Theresa described the application process as very manageable. Theresa also wishes more couples knew that they could apply for the grant before placement, not just after.
Harold and Theresa love encouraging other couples who are considering adoption.
“It is a continual process of surrendering to the Lord,” Harold said. Theresa echoed his sentiment saying, “Stay open. Trust the process. God shows up in all of it.”
They also feel deeply grateful for the donors who make grants like ARJC possible.
“All Christians are called to care for the widow and the orphan,” Harold said. “Not everyone is called to adopt—but everyone can play a part.” Theresa added, “Thank you. Your generosity helped make this call to adoption a reality.”