On the day Roe v. Wade was overturned on June 24, 2022, Ashley and Dusty Steckman sent in their first down payment to begin the process of adopting a child. Little did they know just how large of an impact that court decision would have on their future family.
The Steckmans’ adoption journey began back in 2019, when a doctor told them conceiving naturally would be a challenge. Though that news was incredibly difficult, they began looking for possible alternatives and support. Both Ashley and Dusty approached the topic of adoption with much prayer and discernment.
During a marriage retreat with friends from their church, Ashley recounts seeing all the children there clinging to Dusty. His personality and joy were magnets for the kids. Ashley was struck by this image. She could tell Dusty had the strength and the natural tenacity to be an incredible father, even if neither of them knew what the road ahead would bring. The experience gave Ashley hope that she and Dusty could truly love and care for a child who was not their own by birth.
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Not long after the retreat, Dusty wrote Ashley a letter saying they should look into adoption as soon as they got home. The couple proceeded in faith, as they weren’t sure how they would afford an adoption or how long it could take to be paired with a birth mother. After multiple signs, including running into a woman who told them her own adoption story and finding an adoption journal at a local boutique, Ashley and Dusty knew they were ready to tell the adoption agency “yes!” They were ready to be parents of a little boy or girl.
On that fateful day in 2022, Dusty and Ashley officially sent over the first payment needed to start the adoption process. Just three months later, on September 26, they received a call that there was a baby boy ready for adoption who had just been born in the hospital.
Before they arrived at the hospital, Ashley and Dusty found out more details about the birth of their new son Jacob. Jacob’s birth mother was 22 weeks pregnant when the Dobbs decision reversed Roe. When she went to Planned Parenthood to get an abortion, they turned her down because of Florida’s pro-life law, which limited abortion at 15 weeks at that time. Jacob’s birth mom decided to look for help at a pregnancy resource center. Because of the help she was able to find at the pregnancy resource center, she chose adoption. Ashley commends the bravery of Jacob’s birth mother in deciding to choose life, and she empathizes with the selfless decision to give a child up for adoption.
When Ashley and Dusty first got to meet Jacob in the hospital, they were overwhelmed by the joy of seeing their precious little boy for whom they had been praying for months. They couldn’t help but see Jacob as their miracle child. In the following months, Ashley miraculously induced lactation without being pregnant and was able to nurse Jacob. To them, this was just another sign they were meant to welcome Jacob into their family.
Ever since Ashley and Dusty adopted Jacob, they have poured their hearts out upon him. Now, Jacob is a lively two-and-a-half-year-old who loves his bike, monster trucks and swimming. Ashley and Dusty can already see the many skills and gifts Jacob has. He learned how to swim without ever receiving lessons. Not only that, Jacob has an incredibly loving disposition. He comes to Ashley’s bed every night to snuggle with her.
When describing Jacob’s personality, Ashley said:
“He’s just always been happy…he’s smart, he’s kind, he’s loving. I could say so many things about my baby. He’s that little love of my life.”
Ashley’s hope for Jacob as he gets older is that he fully embraces his adoption story and knows how much he is loved. She doesn’t want him to associate his adoption with hurt or pain but does want him to understand that his mom could have gone out of state to have an abortion. She could have done something illegal. But instead, she chose adoption, and that has meant he can be known and loved by so many people.
The Dobbs decision forever changed Ashley and Dusty’s life together. Not only did it give them Jacob, but it allowed them to give Jacob’s mother the gift of knowing that her son is loved and cared for. Ashley often sends photos of Jacob to his birth mother to show her how well he is doing. Jacob’s life is full of love and joy.
When asked what her hope is for the pro-life future of the United States, Ashley says, “My hope would be that more mothers would see that life is beautiful and that there are options for them. Our goal needs to be that there are more lives saved than thrown away.”
LifeNews Note: Kelsey Pritchard writes for SBA Pro-Life America.
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Author: Kelsey Pritchard
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