A year ago, if someone had told me that today I'd be anxiously waiting to go pick up my HIV+ daughter, I would have seriously questioned their sanity. Yet here I am, doing just that! To be honest, it never even crossed our minds to 'consider' adopting an HIV+ child. Then one day I happened upon a couple of blogs that showed families living with HIV positive kids. LIVING... not dying!!! Families bubbling over with hope and joy!!! I was intrigued and inspired and wanted to know more.

One of these blogs belonged to Carolyn Twietmeyer and Project Hopeful. My first thought was "Isn't it great that she has the courage to do this but I never could." But still, seeing her family THRIVING and HAPPY planted a 'seed of possibility' in my heart. Soon thereafter we watched a show called "Facing Life" in which Carolyn and others shared their experience with HIV+ adoption. The seed was watered. Next I began searching the net for OTHER families that might have done this 'unthinkable' thing, and I found more stories brimming over with encouragement and potential. With every family we read about, the unthinkable became more 'thinkable'. If others were doing it, maybe we could too! The seed began to take root.

Long story short - after talking with Carolyn and Leslie and others families, and researching HIV and the scientific advancements of recent years, the 'plant of possibility' grew and blossomed into a full blown DESIRE to DO THIS ourselves and adopt a child with HIV.

Now we are the proud 'expecting' parents of a 5 year old girl from Ethiopia, with big soulful eyes and a smile that could melt a stone. Her HIV fades into a 'minor detail' as we're smitten by the light in her eyes. We are ETERNALLY GRATEFUL to Carolyn Twietmeyer, Leslie Raneri, PROJECT HOPEFUL and EACH for their tireless efforts to fight for the rights of these precious children. We are also immeasurably blessed that Carolyn and Leslie (and others) were willing to SPEAK OUT about their children's HIV for the sake of the millions with 'no voice'.

My husband and I have labored over whether or not to be a 'disclosing' family and talk publically about our daughter's HIV. We have weighed the Pros and Cons and questioned things like "When she is older, what if she tells us she wishes we had never gone public?" With much thought and prayer, however, we've decided we CAN NOT REMAIN SILENT and, if she does say that one day, we will take her sweet face in our hands, look her in the eyes, and with all the gentleness we can muster we will say, "If OTHERS had made that choice, and chosen to remain silent, YOU WOULD NOT BE ALIVE right now."

Without the openness of others, we would not be adopting an HIV+ child. The stigma would continue to grow and children would continue to die. But BECAUSE of the openness of others, our child will LIVE. We pray that our choice to SPEAK will save the lives of others as well.

THANK YOU Carolyn and PROJECT HOPEFUL. May you be blessed for your efforts.

-Daniel & Chantelle Pratt