A GIRL + A BOY for the Pedersen family — UT
Hello, We are the Pedersen’s from beautiful Utah. Welcome and thank you for taking the time to get to know us. We are adopting a beautiful girl and boy in Haiti.
Wil and Heather have been married for 17 years. They met at Snow College in Ephraim Utah. Wil was Heather’s neighbor across the way. They fell in love and that is where our journey began.
William was in the Army Reserves for 24 years he recently retired in 2022. He has lovingly and proudly served his country serving 2 deployments to Kuwait/Qatar for 1 1/2 years. And another one year deployment to Iraq. Wil works full time at a local cheese plant. He loves to adapt the children’s toys so they are easier for them to play with. They are his buddies and they love to help their dad.
Heather is a stay at home mother. She has a health care and child care background. Motherhood is where her heart called. Heather loves homeschooling the kids and watching them grow and shine as they learn. She also is very gifted at keeping our family organized which, when you have several special needs children you need that.
We are also crazy animal people. We feed feral cats and help to get them fixed and vaccinated to be able to live a happier healthier life. We have helped with a few rescues fostering dogs. In 2014, our hearts called us to Hopes Rescue based out of Ogden, Utah as a hospice foster home for dogs. Heather also does most all their media. Our sweet fur children helped fill a hole in our hearts as we looked and waited for our children.
Our journey to have a family started in 2007. After just a few visits, we learned that with Wils infertility and Heather’s the chances of them conceiving were slim to none. We could try IVF but due to Heather’s uterine malformation they would only implant with one egg at a time. After much thought and prayer. We decided to build our family by adoption. We have been blessed with 3 children through adoption. And our hearts are now pulling us to a little girl and boy in Haiti.
Our oldest Erik is 8 we adopted him at birth from Arizona as a domestic adoption. His list of diagnosed is topped with severe Bilateral Schizencephaly—having only 20% of his brain, spastic quad cerebral palsy, epilepsy, peters anomaly, vision and hearing impairment, gtube dependence and many more. He has many complex medical needs and will be a full care his entire life. Erik doesn’t let his diagnoses stop the love or joy he freely gives to his family. Erik is completely the sunshine of our lives. He is full of character and charm. He loves to help around the house, whether it be cooking, cleaning or helping dad fix things. He is the worlds bestest BIG brother, he loves to snuggle, hold hands and comfort his siblings or sit and hoot and holler chatting away at them. He’s excited to have a BIG sister and see what it’s like to be a little brother. As well as have a new little brother to dote over!!
Our daughter Aliza is forever 4 she gained her wings in 2020 on her fourth birthday. She was and is our little sparkling princess we miss her so very much. We adopted her at 3 months old from a nursing home. Her doctors ordered hospice because they carried no hope that she would thrive with only a brain stem. Aliza was a sassy, smart, beautiful little girl. She loved doing art projects and snuggling particularly her daddy. She was a daddy’s girl through and through. She always had a little stuffed friend or doll and never left the house without earrings. We know she is watching over our beautiful princess and prince in Haiti while we work towards bringing home her sister and brother.
Our youngest, Ian is 2 he is our darling little rainbow after our very hard storm of losing our princess. We adopted him at 3 months old from Arkansas. Ian got caught in the birth canal and was without oxygen long enough to cause 80% brain damage. He too has a long list of diagnoses. Despite all those he is our giggly goose and wild child. He loves to be tickled and would snuggle 24/7. He has brought so much joy and laughter to our home. He loves to snuggle his BIG brother and hold his hand or arm. They sit and chat away with each other all day long. It’s really quite adorable. Ian is excited to have a BIG sister, and another BIG brother he was glad he was going to still be the baby of the family lol.
“Aerodynamically, the bumble bee shouldn’t be able to fly, but the bumble bee doesn’t know it so it goes on flying anyway.” -Mary K ash.
Just like the bumblebee our children shouldn’t be doing a lot of things, including living they are true miracles!! That’s why we as a family, BEE-lieve in the impossible!!
Many say Erik, Aliza, and Ian are blessed to have us. But truly it is the other way around. They have filled a hole in our hearts that was so very empty. All 3 are/were medically complex. We love them so very much they are our greatest blessings. We know our beautiful stars across the sea will be no different.
As our family is now journeying into international waters towards Haiti. To bring home our missing pieces to our family. They both have significant medical needs, but both are absolutely perfect in every single way. With a smiles that will melt your heart. We would be so honored to have you on this journey to help bring them home. Your donation would help our family so very much. To bring home our sweet daughter and son quickly home to get the medical care they so desperately need as well as into a loving home they both have waited so very long for.
8/8/2023 — AWAITING USCIS APPROVAL
