Stephanie and Shelby are back with Part 2 of Mateo’s birth and adoption story, and this chapter is full of waiting, uncertainty, and the emotional moment they finally brought him home.

After a chaotic start in Houston during a historic ice storm and deep in the pandemic, Stephanie and Derek find themselves stuck in a hospital system with no clear answers, navigating adoption logistics, medical uncertainty, and the complicated ICPC process that keeps families waiting before they can cross state lines with their child. From long hospital days and hotel living to homesickness, anxiety, and moments of unexpected joy, this episode shares the real, raw side of adoption that isn’t often talked about.

You’ll hear about the emotional rollercoaster of waiting for clearance to go home, the surreal moment they received “the call, ...