Erin Thomas grew up with a unique perspective on adoption. Her mother was the oldest of five adopted children, and as a child, Erin would look around at school wondering if any of her classmates were her biological cousins. In this episode of Eternal Family Adoptions with host Donna Pope, Erin shares her worries she had while growing up. Even as the daughter of an adoptee, she experienced the same longing for genetic mirroring that adoptees themselves describe.

Grief & Grace

When Erin's sister placed a baby for adoption at age 20, Erin gained another view of the adoption experience. She watched her sister find joy and purpose during the pregnancy, witnessed the grief after placement, and has spent years respecting boundaries as her nephew grew up without making direct contact.

Lost, Then Found

After Erin's mother passed away from cancer in her 50s, the need to know health history became urgent. A DNA test led to a cousin match, which eventually connected Erin to her mother's birth family four years later. At RootsTech 2020, Erin met her biological cousin and finally saw eyes that looked like her mother's and sister's for the first time. 

This episode explores the complexity of multi-generational adoption, including how to navigate Family Search when you have both adoptive and biological lines, what it means to respect an adoptee's choice not to search, and how the longing for connection can skip generations. Erin's story shows that adoption doesn't just affect the triad; it ripples through entire family systems for decades.

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In this episode, Troy shares his journey through a closed adoption, growing up LDS in a home marked by domestic violence, and the complex feelings that came with wanting to search for his birth parents while fearing it would hurt his adoptive family. His story takes us through his work in drug rehabilitation where he first recognized his own trauma, and the therapy that helped him accept his identity as a gay man in a conservative faith community.

Adoption and Identity

Troy Love was adopted at five days old into what seemed like a loving home. But behind closed doors, violence shaped his childhood in ways he wouldn't understand until decades later. As a therapist and author today, Troy helps adoptees, birth parents, and adoptive families navigate what he calls the six attachment wounds: loss, neglect, abandonment, betrayal, rejection, and abuse.

Breaking the Cycle

Troy's reunion with his birth mother at age 37 reveals the beauty and complexity of loving multiple families. When his adoptive father, confined to a wheelchair and struggling with shame about his past violence, felt threatened by Troy's new relationships, Troy faced a choice. Instead of confronting his father with anger, he chose love and broke the cycle of pain that had defined their family.

Healing and Guidance

Now as a therapist and author of three books including The Finding Peace Workbook and Year of Self Love, Troy guides others through their own healing. He explains how wounds don't define us, how adoptive parents can support children carrying invisible trauma, and why understanding these six wounds changes everything about the adoption journey.

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Brett and Bonnie Hilton have been married for 34 years and are parents to nine children. Four quadruplets born at 24 weeks through surrogacy passed away shortly after birth. Five children joined their family through adoption, including two domestic infants, two sisters from Ukraine, and a special needs baby who lived briefly. Bonnie was born without a uterus and learned this at age 14, a painful discovery for a young Latter-day Saint girl. In this episode of Eternal Family Adoptions, host Donna Pope speaks with the Hilton's about their faith-filled journey through loss, adoption, and divine guidance.

Love Learned Through Faith

After losing their quadruplets, Brett and Bonnie Hilton adopted two infants through LDS Family Services. Years later, they felt led to adopt internationally and traveled to Ukraine before the Hague Convention, where they adopted two biological sisters, ages two and four, while navigating a corrupt system that required bribes to move the process forward. Bonnie initially struggled to bond with the girls, feeling like she was failing as a mother until prayer confirmed that she was exactly what her daughters needed. Over the years, through love, service, music, and play, the connection she longed for finally grew.

Love That Never Lets Go

Bonnie and Brett Hilton’s family story is filled with redemption and faith. Their eldest daughter, Rebecca—once a rebellious teen who proudly went against church standards and secretly stole the family car over 100 times—has grown into a loving mother with a close relationship with Bonnie. Years later, while working as a social worker, Bonnie and Brett adopted baby Isabella, born at 29 weeks with severe anomalies and a short life expectancy. Isabella lived for two weeks, surrounded by her siblings on earth and in heaven, reminding the Hilton's that love, no matter how brief, is eternal.

Discover faith-based adoption support and resources at eternalfamilyadoptions.org.

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Emily was 16 when she discovered she was pregnant. Her mother wrapped her arms around her and said they would get through it together. After praying and seeking guidance, Emily felt adoption was the right path for her daughter. In this episode of Eternal Family Adoptions, host Donna Pope explores Emily's journey from placement at 16 through an unexpected reunion 17 years later that led to singing a duet at her daughter Beth's wedding.
Choosing the Right Family Through Spiritual Confirmation

Emily received a stack of family profiles from LDS Family Services. Her parents taught her to notice which family kept coming to mind at night. One little boy's picture wouldn't leave her thoughts. When Emily met Bill, Denise, and three-year-old Billy, she felt like she had one foot in heaven.

They discovered they'd chosen the same baby fabric out of thousands of options. Billy kept insisting the baby's name would be Beth. When they opened Emily's grandma's gift, the inscription read Love Grandma Beth. These spiritual confirmations gave Emily peace moving forward.

Heartfelt Reunion and a Wedding Duet

Emily cried for six months after placement but never doubted her decision. Years later after marrying and having children, Emily wrote a letter on Beth's 17th birthday. That same week, her sister discovered Beth on Ancestry DNA.

At Beth's wedding 25 years after placement, Emily and Beth sang a duet together. Two days before the ceremony, Emily helped Beth find a wedding dress at 8pm on Saturday night. Standing at the wedding, Emily experienced a full circle moment wondering if God knew all along they would be there together.

Discover faith-based adoption support at eternalfamilyadoptions.org.

Social Media links for Emily Meikle Music

Website: emilymeiklemusic.com

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@emilymeiklemusic

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/emilymeiklemusic/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emilymeiklemusic/

One Day Song:

Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/album/one-day-single/1787820259

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2oWagoHgSsFQwV2Fl66K7m

Amazon Music: https://amazon.com/music/player/albums/B0DRC7WZ3X?marketplaceId=ATVPDKIKX0DER&musicTerritory=US&ref=dm_sh_jLQ6yod8f1iq3ry3HeM6whF1E&trackAsin=B0DRC9HCHX

YouTube: https://youtu.be/gbvv3e2vV-4?si=Vja82y17HmNpg1mH

Shawn Rapier and his wife, Vanessa, never planned to adopt but changed their minds when two siblings needed a home. After Shawn asked God a crucial question, they began a journey that led to adopting six children through foster care and having two biological kids. The answer launched a journey that brought eight children (six through foster care adoption and two biological) into what they affectionately named Dysfunction Junction.

In this episode of Eternal Family Adoptions, host Donna Pope sits down with comedian and adoptive father Shawn Rapier to explore the unfiltered reality of foster care adoption.

Different Children Different Confirmations

Each adoption came with its own spiritual guidance. For their first children, Shawn felt he needed clarity from God, while later adoptions required different confirmations, including a direct message at church for their teenage daughter, Portia. Their experiences included challenges such as hospital stays, behavioral issues, and even the loss of JC’s parents during the adoption process.

Life After Dysfunction Junction

All eight Rapier children, now ages 22 to 34, live across the country but stay connected. Past family crises—police visits, Disney World jail, and more—didn’t destroy their family but helped shape them. Shawn’s advice for adoptive parents is to give themselves grace, emphasizing that spiritual connection matters most and that God is the best parent of all. Faith-based support resources are available at eternalfamilyadoptions.org.

Discover faith-based foster care adoption support at eternalfamilyadoptions.org.

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Kaylee Anglesey was 19 years old and attending BYU-Idaho when she discovered her pregnancy. Her parents' immediate response of love and support without pressure became the foundation for her birth mother's decision-making journey. In this episode of Eternal Family Adoptions, host Donna Pope sits down with Kaylee to explore her experience speaking with 12 different adoptive families, including conversations with their birth mothers, before finding her perfect match.

Finding the Perfect Family

Through Adoption.com, Kaylee connected with the Courtney family and developed a lighthearted selection process they called "the Bachelor adoption." At 23 weeks pregnant, she presented them with rose cupcakes as her "final rose" choice. The families spent remaining pregnancy months building genuine friendship through weekly gatherings and a maternity photo shoot that honored Kaylee's experience. When Posey arrived on Halloween, both families shared the sacred hospital experience with Elizabeth holding Kaylee's hand during delivery.

Life in Open Adoption

Kaylee now sees the Courtney's weekly for family activities, coaches their oldest son in tennis, and maintains the kind of integrated open adoption relationship that blesses everyone involved. She shares her message to 16-year-old Posey, advice for other birth mothers about seeking all options, and how constant prayer and faith guided her through the hardest decision she ever made. Her story demonstrates that birth mother support, authentic relationships, and faith create positive adoption experiences.

Visit eternalfamilyadoptions.org to discover faith-based birth mother support and resources.

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Continuing from Part 1 of the Hamilton family's adoption journey...

In this episode of Eternal Family Adoptions, hosts Donna Pope and Nathan Gwilliam conclude Brett and Emily Hamilton adoption story as they navigate life with daughter Leilani and build an open relationship with her birth family. The Hamiltons share how Leilani fits perfectly into their family like a puzzle piece that was always meant to be there, bringing sass, joy, and healing after years of pregnancy loss. Emily opens up about the realities of interracial adoption, emphasizing the importance of learning about Black hair care and cultural heritage while staying humble and teachable.

Two Families Blending

The episode reveals a beautiful development when the Hamiltons visit Leilani's birth mother Chris and discover she has married Marcus, bringing together two complete families in love and support. Brett discusses how their experience with stillbirth prepared them to handle the legal uncertainties of adoption, trusting God through the unknown just as they did through pregnancy complications. Emily shares her honest perspective that loving an adopted child feels identical to loving biological children, proving that love transcends DNA and connects through hearts and souls.

Perseverance and Faith

The Hamilton children share their perspectives on welcoming Leilani, with their teenage daughter admitting initial fear that transformed into joy and the realization that life is better because of adoption. The family offers advice to others considering adoption, particularly addressing concerns about not seeing yourself reflected in your child's appearance. Their testimony demonstrates how God works in the waiting periods, blending families together in ways that exceed human understanding and creating bonds that feel eternal from the moment they begin.

This concludes the Hamilton family's two-part adoption journey. Visit eternalfamilyadoptions.org to discover how faith can guide your adoption path.

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Divine Orchestration

When birth mother Chris struggled for eight months to decide whether to place her daughter Leilani, divine timing connected two families walking through grief and uncertainty. The Hamiltons reveal how their experience with pregnancy loss prepared them to meet Chris in her pain with understanding and compassion rather than frustration. Brett discusses the scripture "be still and know that I am God" and how the adoption process taught them to surrender control and trust God's perfect timing.

18-Hour Miracle

This emotional episode demonstrates how God works during waiting periods and weaves together separate stories of heartbreak into a beautiful tapestry of hope and healing. The family's rapid journey from phone call to meeting in New York shows how staying ready rather than getting ready enables families to respond when God opens doors unexpectedly. Their story proves that the deepest grief can become the foundation for the greatest joy when families trust divine orchestration over human understanding.

This is Part 1 of a two-part series with the Hamilton family. Visit eternalfamilyadoptions.org to discover how faith can guide your adoption journey.

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Continuing from Part 1 of the Cole family's adoption journey.

In this episode of Eternal Family Adoptions, hosts Donna Pope and Nathan Gwilliam conclude the Cole family's adoption story as they face 14 more rejections before experiencing a miraculous turnaround. Picking up from Part 1's heartbreaks, Brandon and Bethany share how they endured months of waiting with Heart to Heart Adoptions, getting their hopes up every two weeks only to hear another family was chosen instead. Just when they thought their journey might never end, a phone call changed everything in a matter of days. Within 48 hours, they went from disappointment in Arkansas to meeting their son's birth mother in Utah and bringing home baby Ezekiel. The family discusses their ongoing relationship with his birth mother, the financial provision that covered their fees to the dollar, and how their children's faith grew stronger through adversity. Brandon and Bethany offer encouragement for families in the waiting phase, emphasizing that God's timing proved perfect despite years of uncertainty. Their story demonstrates how perseverance through multiple rejections can lead to the exact child meant for your family.

#AdoptionFaith #AdoptionJourney #TrustTheProcess #AdoptionEncouragement #DivineTimimg #AdoptionWait #FaithInAdoption #AdoptionWisdom #GodsGoodness #AdoptionStruggles #AdoptionHope #EternalFamilyAdoptions #BrandonCole #AdoptionTestimony #AdoptionPerspective

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In this episode of Eternal Family Adoptions, hosts Donna Pope and Nathan Gwilliam meet Brandon and Bethany Cole, missionaries serving in West Africa whose adoption dreams turned into a four-year nightmare of setbacks and heartbreak. After a discouraging lawyer told them no birth mother would choose a family living in dangerous Mali, they pursued international adoption only to face corruption, medical revelations, and a judge who claimed their matched child for herself. When they finally connected with a birth mother in New York and spent days bonding with her two daughters, she made the difficult decision to parent, leaving the family devastated yet again. Rather than responding with anger, the Cole family chose to bless her with groceries and support, showing extraordinary grace in disappointment. Their three children share how they processed each loss while maintaining hope for their future sibling. This emotional first part reveals how faith, family prayer, and perspective gained from working with impoverished communities prepared them to handle repeated rejection with resilience and compassion.

Continue following their journey in Part 2 as the Coles finally welcome baby Ezekiel home.

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