Adoption

Words cannot describe the impact of seeing these abandoned children, all needing parents, family, and love. I felt an overwhelming sense of responsibility for the welfare of these babies…. and I immediately knew this was how I was going to help change the world for the better.

Watch a piece of Gracie's story here 

told by dōTERRA Founder Greg Cook

Chapter One:

We're in Shanghai, China. It's 2005.
Constantly uprooted because of my international lifestyle, I use women's groups and service organizations to meet my new communities with each move. I always find like-hearted women in volunteer settings. That's just how I roll.

So, I was invited to hold babies and spend time at a Chinese orphanage on a Thursday afternoon.

I was excited to see a whole new world...but couldn't have possibly expected the sucker-punch to the gut I would feel upon entering the dirt-floored, overcrowded, dilapidated government building filled with beautiful babies. 

Since that first visit to an orphanage, my husband and I have had the amazing opportunity to organize fundraising concerts for adoption awareness, to help create foundations to support surgeries, and to donate toys and clothing to orphans in need. The needs are endless and though I know I cannot help them all – I am committed to the impact I can make. 
"Can you imagine if I had said no? What I would have missed?"

Chapter Two:

It was actually my oldest daughter Regan, who inspired us to think about adopting a child of our own.

"We're talking the talk, now it's time to walk the walk" she said during a weekend volunteer trip to an orphanage in Beijing. "we have enough love in our hearts and enough space in our home."

Initially, I was nervous. Thoughts and fears rushed through my mind, as would be expected. It was a huge decision and my two kids were older -- I'd be starting over as a mother! But, as soon as they put Kailin into my arms, I held her so close and I knew I would never let go. There was no doubt in my mind that she was God's gift to me. She was just as much mine as if I had given birth to her. All my fears immediately vanished. 

Lesson learned. This is why it's so incredibly important not to listen to your fears and to take a leap of faith when it feels in alignment. If I hadn't said "yes" despite my doubts, I wouldn't be staring at my witty, glitter-obsessed, creative daughter as I type this. We would be missing a huge part of our hearts and our family would be incomplete. We went into the adoption process thinking we were saving her, but in reality, she has saved us. In so many ways.

 Chapter Three:

Scaling and expanding this vision in ways bigger than we ever thought possible. 

My eyes actually scanned to the Blue Diamond income bracket: $36,000 per month.

"That's an adoption each month!" I exclaimed to my husband. "We could pay for an adoption in full every single month! Mark my words. I'm getting there!". And I did.

Within just a few years.
Now, with my residual income and the platform I have built through my dōTERRA business, my "why" has been amplified and so has my impact. 

In comes the creation of adōpTERRA, which strategically leverages the generosity of dōTERRA's compensation plan and their charitable giving platform, The dōTERRA Healing Hands Foundation. 

See, the adoption crisis is not a supply-demand problem. 

There are plenty of families with big hearts and millions of orphans that need homes. 
It's a monetary obstacle. Most families do not have $30,000 in disposable, liquid assets to invest into the convoluted and time-consuming adoption process. 

The industry is rife with middlemen and fees that make it almost impossible for the average family to succeed...and who loses? the baby that is left un-held and u.

Our mission is to empower these families to build a residual income with dōTERRA which will be matched by our 501c3.

Once we reach $15,000 towards the adoption, dōTERRA Healing Hands MATCHES the total sum, rounding us off to that 30k goalpost.

We welcomed our first dōBABY in 2017. Gracie Mona. I have a well of tears in my eyes writing this with anticipation for the hundreds, thousands, of other babies we will bring home through this initiative.

P.S. Our goal is to be known as the dōTERRA team that has completed the MOST healing hands projects. We've supported organizations around the world, from education to fair trade in the garment industry, from clean water to anti-trafficking, from earthquake-proof schools to sustainable agriculture. 
If there is something in YOUR heart that is begging to be amplified. If there is an organization that inspires you so much it brings you to tears.
If there is a service project you were born to initiate or support...your project is next! I'd love to chat!

If you're passionate about adoption and would like to help, please contact me at [email protected]. I also highly recommend joining me in dōTERRA and finding your own 'why' and making your own unique impact on the world. I help others get started on their own essential oil journey and take it wherever THEY want it to go. Helping to change the world one person and one drōp of essential oil at a time.

P.P.S. One of the questions I get asked most about is Kailin's essential oil protocol, as her health concerns are the MAIN reason we found dōTERRA's healing essential oils in the first place!

Kailin has a rare blood disorder that affects her immunity. I credit good nutrition, low-toxin living & dōTERRA oils for helping support Kailin to live a healthier and more active life. When Kailin loses her energy, I just rub some Motivate oil on her and it gives her a boost. Every night I rub a special blend on her feet to help her combat anything she may have been exposed to during the day: Oregano, Melaleuca, Lemon, On Guard and Frankincense. It's been heaven sent in so many ways!