Your plans can be airtight and still get overturned at the last second and that is exactly where Erica’s story begins. She’s a kind, organized, planning-ahead type of person, so when her family lines up a move from Colorado to Alaska, visits in every season, and gets a job path set in motion, it feels like the payoff is finally here. Then her husband gets a deep, gut-level stop sign and they make the brutal call to pull the plug right before everything goes live. From there, we talk honestly about what it’s like to live in the in-between: the yearly trips back to Alaska that feel like “home,” the frustration of not having clear answers, and the quiet work of learning to trust God when you don’t get the full plan. That waiting season becomes the doorway to something they never could have scheduled, the decision to pursue foster care. Erica shares the real timeline of getting certified, what placements can look like, and why their home shifts from being open to little kids to saying yes to teens. Then the episode turns into a jaw-dropping adoption story. A newborn comes to their home through the safe haven law, and Erica reflects with deep gratitude on the birth mother’s difficult, loving choice. That placement becomes permanent, and only after the adoption is final do the Alaska doors open again, this time through a new career path as an Alaska State Trooper with a wildlife focus. If you’re searching for stories about foster care, adoption, faith, community support, and trusting God when plans change, this conversation will stay with you. Subscribe, share it with a friend who’s in a hard middle season, and leave a review with the biggest pivot you’ve faced. https://generationstogenerations.com/podcast ordinarypeoplestories@gmail.com https://www.facebook.com/ordinarypeoplestory https://www.instagram.com/ordinarypeopleextraordinary/ X: @storiesextra Any advice should be confirmed with a qualified professional. All rights reserved: Ordinary People Extraordinary Things Stories shared by guests may not always be shared views of OPET. Being a guest does not mean OPET approves of every decision or action in the guests' life. We all have a story, all of us, share your story. You don't have to have the perfect answer or the perfect life - share what Jesus is doing in your life. This is an easy, real way to witness & share your testimony.
