Christina and Matt Schafer are college sweethearts and the very lucky parents of four beautiful biological children – Cade, 4 ½, Parker, 3, Macy, 1 ½ and Dawson, 5 months! The saying ‘If you think my hands are full, you should see my heart” rings very true for this family! Christina is a stay at home mom and Matt works in insurance and is also finishing his PhD in American History. Their days are busy but wonderful and they are enjoying watching their children grow up as best friends.

Adoption was something Christina and Matt talked about from the beginning. Matt’s aunt runs an adoption agency and both of his cousins were adopted. Their talk of adoption was put on the back burner when they had their first baby together, but with Dawson’s birth it brought a renewed interest and eventual determination to realize this little dream. Dawson was born with Down syndrome and though that one little fact is not the biggest part of who he is, it is a fact that has forever changed the course of this family’s future. He has been the greatest inspiration and source of joy since his arrival and his parents have become his best advocates and hope to advocate for other kids with this misunderstood but incredibly life-enhancing condition. 

It is for that reason that their long-ago musings of adoption have led to their hope to adopt precious little Angela in Eastern Europe. In desperate need of major heart surgery that babies born in the U.S. would receive by 6 months old, Christina and Matt realize that this journey might still have a tragic outcome.   But as Dawson has taught so well in his short 5 months, however scary the unknowns of a situation,  love says forge ahead!

12/11/08---TRAVELING SOON!

I have $1101.14 in my  FAMILY grant fund towards the cost of my adoption!

Follow the Schafer family's adoption journey on their blog at http://4stairsteps.blogspot.com

Click here to sponsor Angela for the Schafer-Litchfield Family