MONA for The Williamson Family — TX

Tony and Ashley Williamson have always wanted a big family, there just wasn’t a specific plan on how that would happen. Their son Hayden is 20, their daughter Lauren is 18. Along the way, they have had other children in and out of the home based on needs in their community. Friends of their children, kids in desperate need of love after temporary tragedy occurred with their own families, family members in need, you name it, they have done it. After years of a friend who had adopted a special needs child from Russia had sent photos advocating, without any time, raising the family they had in their home at the time, the photos weren’t really given any thought other than donations. The Williamsons felt like all of the kids had grown up and were thriving, and maybe this was it. Maybe they had completed their family.

Then late one night, the same friend who had been advocating for orphans for years, called Ashley in the middle of the night and said, “this baby came out of your womb!!! Check the profile I am about to send you, and tell me she isn’t yours!” Ashley hung up the phone laughing and shaking her head, and then opened the text she was sent. As she clicked on the Reece’s Rainbow link, all of the air in her chest had seem to disappear, her eyes filled with tears, this beautiful baby girl with the sweetest, biggest, almond shaped eyes, with the darkest pigtails, jumped off the screen, slid down the giant lump in her throat, and sat down right inside of her heart. At 1am, she sat with tears in her eyes in her bed, without a single doubt that this is her daughter, Ashley started furiously sending emails and started the process, all before she even woke her husband. The next morning, Tony had received an email being that she gave both parent’s contact information. He was a little confused being Ashley had yet to mention a word to him, so he asked her about it. She was so protective and so sure in that moment, that he was caught off guard. This was a Monday morning. He told her that he felt like their family was complete, and thought she needed to rethink this. Ashley knew this was meant to be. All week every text Tony had sent Ashley, all she replied with was photos of this precious baby girl. Friday after a very busy day at work, she didn’t have time to respond. That evening, when they both arrived home from work, Tony said to her, “you didn’t send any photos of her to me today?” Ashley asked, “Do you want photos of her?” Tony relied, “I think I do!” Tears is joy filled Ashley’s eyes and she exclaimed, “We are having a girl!” Tony and Ashley have never looked back. While they do not discount her having Down syndrome, they are up for any challenge, including her congenital heart defect that will also require immediate surgery but know in their hearts she is a child of God and not only worthy of this family, but fee they are blessed with the addition of her, the little girl that hung the moon.

7/3/2018 — AWAITING FIRST TRIP