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We are Mark and Susan Mahserjian-Smith and we would like to tell you a little bit about our family and our adoptions. We believe our family is quite unique and very special. It is also the result of answered prayer. We knew when we married that Susan had fertility problems, however, we felt that God would have us try to adopt as well as have birth children. We conceived a year after corrective surgery and we were overjoyed. However we lost that baby and four more in less than 18 months. The last two were twins and with them Susan lost her only tube. In the midst of our grief we clung to the fact that God knew us better than we knew ourselves and He was in control of our future.

Shortly after losing our first pregnancy we contacted our County Department of Social Services and began the process of becoming certified to adopt by New York State. Throughout our ensuing pregnancies we continued to search for children to adopt and sent out dozens of homestudies for children of various ages, races, and handicapping conditions. We prayed that God would select our children based on our parenting abilities and talents and that we could say "yes" to whatever children were offered to us knowing that it would be within His will.

In July of 1989 we were told about twin boys who had been born three months premature without any prenatal care. They were bi-racial of black/white heritage. Both babies had tremendous lung damage. Baby A, weighing 2.2 lbs, had experienced a Grade IV Intraventricular Hemorrhage when he was two days old. If he lived, and "if" was stressed he would probably have cerebral palsy and be severely retarded. Baby B, weighing 2.6 lbs, was holding his own at that time. They we just over two pounds each. At the very end of the selection process another family was chosen. We were devastated. We just knew that we would be perfect parents for these children. Couldn't God see that? We struggled to submit to His will. It was difficult, we were angry and hurting and couldn't understand why God had allowed us to get our hopes up just to let us be shattered with disappointment. After a month of frustration and pain we could finally let go of those little boys and pray "God, they are Your children and always will be, please give them to the parents You chose, even thought it's not us. Father give them to parents who will love and adore them and will teach them to love and adore You."

On August 23, 1989 we were notified that the family offered the children couldn't deal with all the health problems and the bleak prognosis for their futures and they had decided not to adopt the twins. Baby A was stable and doing alright. Baby B had required surgery to close a duct in his heart and was in reduced liver function. He was so sick he needed a complete blood transfusion but would never live through it. In short they expected him to die. Even the CDC in Atlanta could not identify the neonatal hepatitis that was claiming his liver. Did we still want to be considered as adoptive parents for them?

We said a very ecstatic "yes" and three days later Susan drove to the Medical Center and saw our beautiful baby boys for the first time. While there she laid hands on them and prayed. They were still under three pounds each but to us they were a miracle! A living and breathing testament of God's faithfulness to His children.

We named baby A, Zachary Lloyd. Zachary because it means "Jehovah hath remembered us" and Lloyd after Susan's brother-in-law. We named baby B, Luke Thomas. Luke because it means "God is my strength and my light" and Thomas after Mark Thomas. When they told us Luke would need a liver transplant but would never gain enough weight to have it before he died we told them that God had not given us a son to take him away - and that even if He did we would still praise His name. The boys were discharged from the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit to come home the second week in October.

Both boys came home on heart and lung monitors and Zach came home with oxygen. Between the two of them they were on 13 medications. Luke took 45 minutes to take 2 ounces of formula and they never slept for longer than two hours at a time since they required bottles every two hours. After only two weeks home from the hospital Luke began to vomit after some of his bottles. We began to keep track of when he vomitted and realized it was always after the liver medication was administered. Since most of the medications for the liver were fat soluble vitamins Susan called the specialist and told her that she thought Luke's liver was fine and that he didn't need the medications any longer. The doctor didn't think this was possible but to humor Susan she ordered blood work. When the blood work came back she arranged an appointment to see Luke. She examined Luke's abdomen and then turned to Susan and asked, 'Why do you think he's healed?' Susan responded 'Because I prayed for him to be healed.' The doctor then asked, 'Mrs. Mahserjian-Smith whatever did you pray? His blood work is normal, his liver and spleen are no longer enlarged. He is totally fine and I don't need to see him again.'

Zach and Luke are nine. Zach has severe Spastic Cerebral Palsy, Cortical Vision Impairment, Global Developmental Delays, Mental Retardation, a G-Tube, Fundoplication, is post Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy and post Baclofen Pump and is non-verbal. He communicates by answering 'yes' or 'no' to questions. Since the implantation of his Baclofen Pump he has added several words: home, obey, hurray, Gerbert, we go and has begun to sign: mother, father, thank you, hungry, drink and I'm sorry. He is a sweet and loving little guy with the most infectious laugh to ever be heard. Luke has mild Hypotonic Cerebral Palsy, Cortical Hearing Impairment, Attention Deficit Disorder and Sensory Integration Deficits. He has overcome many obstacles and plays soccer and loves horseback riding. He is on Ritalin for the hyperactivity. In April, 1991 when the twins were almost 2 years old we decided that the Lord was leading us to adopt again. We were hoping for little girls but were willing to take whatever children the Lord brought into our lives. All of the caseworkers warned us that there were not a lot of little girls up for adoption and we would probably be disappointed. However we knew that if God wanted us to have girls, we would have girls!

In September, 1991 we were offered two little sisters. They were bi-racial of black/white heritage and had been born drug addicted. While they appeared to be developing normally no one could predict whether they would continue to do so. After visiting several times we brought our daughters home October 18th. Our oldest is named Jessica Rose. Jessica because it means 'Salvation' and Rose after Mark's mother. She will be thirteen in January. Jessa is a beautiful young women with a heart for God. She still struggles to adjust and accept her abandonment by her birthparents but God is doing a mighty work of healing in her life. At this time Jessa is not diagnosed with anything but she is being tested for Reactive Attachment Disorder. The youngest we named Amanda Mary. Amanda because it means 'beloved' and Mary after Susan's mother. Amanda will be ten in January. Amanda carries many emotional scars from her early turbulent years in foster care. It is hard to believe that someone so young could have been hurt so deeply. Amanda is on medication to help her deal with her anger and occasionally destructive feelings. She has been diagnosed with Reactive Attachment Disorder from Early Childhood - Type I Inhibitive and Oppositional Defiant Disorder. There is a possibility of Childhood Schizophrenia or Dissociative Disorder, (previously known as Multiple Personality Disorder.)

In September 1994 we decided that we wanted one more child, preferably a minority infant. We let all of our caseworkers know and ten days later we were offered a beautiful African baby girl being placed for adoption. She arrived straight from the hospital and we fell in love at first sight! She looked like a little brown Betty Boop! She had masses of black curls, huge eyes, and checks that almost looked like jowls! It took us two days to name her and we chose Mariah Dawn. Mariah means 'God is my teacher' and Dawn was after Susan's older sister. Mariah was unable to keep down her formula and was put on medication to control the reflux. When that didn't work they added cereal to her formula and finally went to a special formula called Nutramigen. She did well on the formula but reacted to even the most common baby foods. We thought she had finally outgrown most of her food allergies but just recently she had a severe case of eczema that the doctor believes is from food alleriges. Riah just turned seven and is a total delight. She is a little chatterbox and loves to practice her flirting skills on Daddy! She takes ballet and tap with Luke. She wants to be an astronaut when she grows up. She can name the planets in order and loves to learn about the stars and galaxy.

We feel very blessed to have been able to adopt five beautiful children. When we look at them we know that God selected them just for us as a compassionate answer to his children's prayer. We realize that while we were mourning the loss of our pregnancies God was already answering our prayers for children and knitting them together in another's womb. Our twins were offered to us on what would have been the due date of the twins we lost. There's a beautiful song that says, "Lord, listen to your children praying." We can tell you from experience that there is not one prayer He does not hear. We may not always get the answer we want but if we are obedient to His leading we will always have what is best for us.

One of the ways God can change the world is through us. We are called to go, to do, to be, to share, to listen, to love. We are not called to sit in a pew one hour a week and go home content that we've given God His due. We want our lives to be a living, breathing, example of what Jesus would do to show love to a hurting world. Our prayer is that our choices and lives would be worthy of emmulation by our children.

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Mark & Susan Mahserjian-Smith

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