Getting to Know the Wilsons
Paul and Laura have been married for 14 years. We love Jesus, have been changed by the Gospel, and want others to know just how real the truth of the Gospel is. We love drinking coffee. We recently switched to half caff coffee. It's really just an excuse to drink double the coffee. We love playing with our three boys. Playing at the park, reading together and silly imaginative games (Paul!) take up a lot of our days in this stage. We met and married in Pittsburgh. We love all things Pittsburgh and Pittsburgh sports. Our dog is named Tomlin, not after the Christian artist or the comedian, but the Steelers' coach. Obviously.
Our journey to pursue adoption came in a very painful season of secondary infertility. We grieved the loss that infertility brings. That sadness and season of loss was hard and felt very dark at times. Adoption wasn't a backup plan for our infertility. It is an altogether different and beautiful thing. It was, however, what God used to soften Laura's heart and grow Paul's openness to adoption to deeper desire. During our season of unfulfilled desires and hopes, we cried many tears, processed our anger and disappointment, and ran hard and held fast to the truth of the Gospel and the promises of our identity in Christ, and our secured future.
We finally made our way to China to meet our precious little boy, Kai. It was a life changing trip in many ways. We met other incredible families, experienced an amazing culture, and were humbled as we saw the Gospel played out right in front of us. We knew we would adopt again. We expected that we would return to China. But through the best and most interrupting miracle, our baby boy Charlie, God altered our path for our second adoption. Through many ups and downs and closed doors, God led us to adopt from India! Our journey to our sweet daughter, Ella has been different from any other. It has been hard and beautiful. Ella's life has changed, but our hearts have changed more. This journey has been hard, even dark at times, but the light has never stopped shining. Our hope has continued to be our fortress. Our adoption journeys have not just about our family, but our community, friends and family as well. We hope you find encouragement here and join us in our family's continued journey as we live out the Gospel in this way.
Paul
Paul loves pastoring. He loves people and God's Word. He enjoys reading, coffee, Pittsburgh Steelers and being silly with his three little boys. He has always had a heart for adoption. He just had to wait for God to open Laura's heart.
Laura
Laura is a stay at home mom, previous social worker/counselor and hobby photographer. She loves coffee, reading, writing, photography and shamefully, a little reality TV. She loves all things Pittsburgh, all things sports and adores three little boys. While it took her longer to get on board, her heart now beats for adoption.
Asher
Asher is an absolute treasure. If you're wondering what Paul was like as a child, look no further! He was an only child for almost 4 years and in less than 2 years, he is all of a sudden an older brother to two! He's an incredible biggest brother. It has been a joy to watch him care so sweetly for Ella and show her kindness and compassion. He loves to read, play with action figures, and play outside. He really enjoys playing sports. He loves school. He enjoys movies and has started to love watching football with our family. He has an infectious smile, a gentle spirit and an observant mind. God has blessed us so deeply with ten years with Asher in our family. It is a joy to watch him grow in his love for Jesus and others.
Kai
Kai is one of our sweetest miracles. He became ours on May 16, 2016. We had no idea just how great a miracle we received that day. He is the most loving and kind little boy. He has a heart for people on the outside. He is Asher's best friend. He has the best sense of humor. He is silly and full of joy. He loves pandas, all things China, games and puzzles. He was born to be a brother! He's a tremendous little brother and the most precious big brother. He is incredibly brave. He recently had some hospitalizations and a surgery. He amazes us with his strength! He loves to learn. Math and science are his favorites. He is kind and compassionate and inquisitive. We adore him. Watch our video of meeting Kai here!
Charlie
Charlie is the miracle we did not think would ever come. We were told that it was a miracle we had Asher and we would never have another biological child again. Half way through our process to adopt again, a positive pregnancy test rocked our world. He is so full of joy. He tries to keep up with his brothers. He smiles most of the time, loves to laugh and loves to get attention. Luckily, with two adoring brothers, he basically always has an audience! He could snack all day and give him a cup of milk and you'll have a friend for life. He loves to read books, play outside and play with his brothers. He's growing into a sweet older brother, too. He loves creepy guys, Hulk and most of all Bruno!
Ella
Ella is an incredible little girl. She joined our family on November 24, 2020. She is fierce. She is a fighter. She has survived so much and blows us away with her strength. She is an amazing helper. Her heart is beautifully sensitive. Her giggle can make anyone smile. She is in lots of therapies to help her continue to grow in her development. She's not always thrilled about it, and when she's not into it, you will know! She is obsessed with purple and pink, both of which she calls purple. She loves Minnie Mouse and Peppa pig, maybe because they are some of the only words she knows how to say. Our journey to her was hard. Her life before us was full of challenges. But we are so thankful to be with her now, whatever her future holds. We love her. You can watch her adoption video here.