exposing the dark side of adoption
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CHASK profile Mark and Ruthann Gneiser

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Our Family:

Mark and Ruthann have been married for over 10 years. They met while both working on a dairy farm. Mark, 52, continues to enjoy working in the dairy business selling supplies to farmers. Ruthann, 30, is now a “stay-at-home” mother dreaming big of a hobby farm on their almost 8 acres. This summer will be the small beginning of that dream. They now have only cats, but plan on adding a couple goats, and a steer.

Mark and Ruthann are the parents of two 4 year old boys, Lucas and Micah. Lucas is 3.5 months older, but Micah was their first. Both boys came into their family through adoption, and both have Down syndrome yet their stories are as different as black and white. Micah’s was a domestic/local adoption. He had the privilege of knowing his parents all but his first 5 days. Lucas’ was an international adoption from Ukraine when he was 2.5 years old. While that had its challenges, all have been blessed by God’s plans for their lives.

Daily life has Mark working 4-5 days/week. He is able to be home for supper every night and home on weekends and holidays. Ruthann’s day is spent keeping the home and bringing the boys to and from school or therapies. After supper most nights, the family plays games, does puzzles, or reads books together. Saturday is a day for odd chores or an occasional outing. Sunday is given to the Lord to worship Him and rest in His love and care.

Our Desire to Adopt:

God has taken us down the path of special needs with the adoption of both of our sons. He has shown us that there is more to life than a label or a handicap. God has also shown us that we all have special needs; some are just more obvious than others. Further than special needs, all children are special and precious, created for God’s glory.

Our Faith in Christ:

Mark is strong in his faith. Although there is always plenty of faith when life is going well, when life brings its challenges, he knows His God will be by his side, with him.

Ruthann is still new in her faith. She still has ‘Thomas’ moments. Yet God has proved to her time after time that He will always be her refuge and strength.

Dear One(s),

Thank you – Thank you for being so strong and courageous. You may not feel that way right now, but you are. You have chosen LIFE for your child! You are considering entrusting your child with another family. Regardless of the choice you make in the end, you are a strong person with a caring heart.

If you choose adoption, you will be giving your child the gift of having 2 sets of parents: one set who created them and loved them so much they chose the best life they could for them, and one set who will love them enough to call them ‘my son’ or ‘my daughter’. Our prayer is that the child would be greatly loved by both sets of parents.

With the grace of God, we as a family will be able to love and nurture this young child in a manner that would make you proud of your child, so that down the road you may say that they “turned out the way I had hoped for”. The responsibility of a parent is enormous; it can be more so with a child with special needs. No child is perfect, and no parent is perfect. But with God’s help, what can look like an imperfection can also be a blessing in disguise.

Dear One(s), we would be honored if we could be a part of your life and your child’s life.

Blessings,

Mark and Ruthann

2013 Apr 17