A letter from your sister…. Dear Dylan and Dakota, Right now may be the most difficult thing you’ll ever go through. Your lives are lived in an orphanage and so you don’t have a family. So, I’m writing to tell you what your family is like and prepare you for our family. You will soon be a Gagnon. Being a… Read More

I often find myself trying to explain why we are adopting two more children and how we are going to manage it. The other day I was listening to myself tell someone about what we were doing, and I sounded so strange to myself. I sounded like I was justifying my ability to provide and also parent 7 children. Why… Read More

The past few months have been incredible. Our friends, family…and complete strangers…have come alongside us in our adventure to bring home Dylan and Dakota. You all have donated your prayers, your time, your money, your items, and mostly your love and support. We have seen bake sales, Double Dog Dares, yard sales, Mary Kay, antique windows…. I can’t even name… Read More

Several months ago, Darren and I were called to step out of our cultural boat into the waves of international special needs adoption. Our eyes had been opened to the plight of special needs orphans in Eastern Europe and how they were throwaway children with no future. We researched and spent many nights on the couch watching documentaries and reading statistics…. Read More

So life continues to march on…..Christmas was hard, because I thought about my little man in an orphanage without a family. I consoled myself with thoughts of Christmas next year. Next year, we will have an extra stocking and his name will be embroidered on the cuff. And Santa will come see him and maybe bring a tricycle or a basketball…. Read More