My wife and I have been married for 11 years. For ten of those years we have dealt with "unknown infertility." Only once was my wife able to become pregnant, but miscarried very early in the pregnancy. After more than four years of trying to become pregnant, we began to look more closely at adoption. My sister was adopted, and I had always told my wife that I would like to adopt at least one child. Shortly after beginning to look into adoption, we were contacted by a friend who knew of a pregnant woman looking for a family to adopt her unborn child to. On Dec. 15th, almost six years ago, we were blessed with a baby girl, Riley Breanne Ballard. To this day, we have a wonderful open relationship with Riley's birthmother. Our daughter knows that she is adopted and has met her birthmother and her half sister on several occasions.

Then, almost nine months ago, we were contacted by another friend, asking if we would be open to the idea of another adoption. Early in 2003, we were informed that our friend's sister was the girl that was pregnant. She had told her sister about our family, and her sister had agreed to adopt her child to us. We asked about the birthfather, and found out that he had left her as soon as he found out she was pregnant, and had returned to his wife (whom he was still married to). Along with this information, we found out that he was a two-time felon, and was heading to jail shortly after the birthmother's due date. My wife and I prayed and felt that God was directing us to continue with the adoption process.

It was only days after Nathaniel's birth that we found out the birthfather was contesting the adoption. For four intense months we went to court dates, hearing testimony that caused us to feel confident that the judge would terminate the birthfather's rights and the adoption would continue. Even the birthmother testified on our behalf. The birthfather had two felonies (one a strike felony), no assets, no home, no running vehicle, never helped the birthmother and admitted (after lying twice on the stand) that indeed he did leave the birthmother within two weeks of finding out she was pregnant. When the final court decision came, and we were told that Nathaniel would have to be returned to his birthfather, we were shocked.

We have filed an appeal, and will return to court on Dec 15th to see if we can get a stay on the judge's order that Nathaniel needs to be returned to the birthfather prior to our appeal being heard. We have also decided, with support from several California senators (a number that seems to be growing daily), to change the laws in California to provide better protection to children and to force the courts to put a greater level of importance on the best interest of the child. "Nathaniel's Law," as it's already being called, will not come soon enough to help us in our own battle, but we believe God has placed us in this situation for a reason, and we intend to do our best to protect the welfare of other children who, in the future, will find themselves in similar situations. May God be glorified in everything we do.

Brad, Jennifer, Riley and Nathaniel
11433 Banner Mtn. Trail
Nevada City, Ca. 95959
(530) 478-9226
bradballard@onemain.com

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