our story

Welcome! My name is Heather, and this is our story.

I gave my life to Christ when I was 12 years old. I have spent everyday since then learning what it means to be a Christ-follower. 

I met my love, Eric, the summer between my junior and senior year in high school and he had just graduated. We dated for three months and then he broke up with me because he thought he could find better prospects in college. We joke about this now! We didn't speak for a year, although we had many mutual friends. Over time we became friends again, and eventually I started taking guitar lessons from him. Our families are convinced I wanted more than lessons. God directed our paths to each other again and we dated for 2 1/2 years when he proposed. We were engaged for the longest six months of my life. He was my first date, my first kiss, and my only love. We have been ecstatically married since July 1, 2006. Somewhere along the way we acquired Maggie (Magdalene May) the mighty miniature dachshund, and Nebbie (Nebuchadnezzar) the dopey-but-lovable black lab/collie mix. Yes, they are our fur-children. 

I was still in school when we got married and we wanted to wait a year before we had children. If only I could have foreseen our future. After a year of marriage we decided "if it happens it happens!" Well after nine months of negative pregnancy tests, we started researching infertility. I was diagnosed with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) in July of '09...I was fairly devastated. Later I was diagnosed with Insulin Resistance (a pre-curser to diabetes which runs in my family)...and I was even more devastated.

We did several rounds of fertility drugs and testing, which all resulted in broken hearts and bouts of anger at God. In January of '10, after more praying in two months than we have done in our whole lives, we decided to stop all fertility treatments and start pursuing adoption. Adoption has been on my heart since I was in high school. I want a child from every country in the world! (Eric knew that was in the fine print of our marriage contract.)

We started the process of adopting through the state foster care system in January 2010. As of September 2011, we were still not licensed. We felt God closing that door, but not the door to adoption altogether.

I never thought growing a family would be this difficult. We map out our lives only to watch other people live out our hopes and dreams...until we surrender to God's ultimate plan. He alone is the giver of life and the architect of family. We are submitting to his holy design for what our family will look like.

"For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen." 

- Romans 11:36

On March 16, 2011 I found out about the miracle God had created in me: I was pregnant. We felt blessed and humbled, but this pregnancy was not without complications. On April 4th (7.5 weeks) we found out our little one had gone to be in the arms of Jesus. He/she was gone too soon. We named our little one Ellis, which in Hebrew means "My God is the Lord."

On September 16, 2011 (exactly 7 months from the first time I found out I was pregnant) I was shocked to find out we were expecting again. On October 7th we saw our little bean via ultrasound! And we heard the heartbeat at a strong 170 bpm. We are so thankful and are fervently praying for our little girl to grow healthy and strong for the next few months. Our estimated due date: May 18, 2012.

Stick around to find out how He designs and constructs The Evans Family!

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."

- Jeremiah 29:11-13