Mary Craig Hart had three children, the youngest of whom was still a baby, when she felt a tug on her heart for adoption. She kept her husband in the dark for a while, afraid of what he'd say, as she researched and cried and prayed. Turns out he'd felt the same pull too - but where would they even start?

Today the Harts' son, Franklin, is seven years old, thriving and smiling alongside his besotted siblings in photos - but it took a long, winding road to get there. 

Mary Craig speaks candidly about both the miracle and trauma of adoption; what communities can do to support adopting families; what we should and should NOT ask; the complicated beauty of being siblings who don't look alike; and how a white mother prepares her Ugandan-born son for life in America.

You can find Mary Craig on Instagram at @marycraighart or learn more about the agency she used, Bethany Christian Services, at bethany.org. 

As always, we invite you to join the conversation at @butnotallatonce on Instagram and Facebook. 

Thanks for being here, y'all! I'd love your thoughts, questions, ideas, and everything in between. You can find me at @ButNotAllAtOnce on social media or ButNotAllAtOnce.com.

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