I Always Knew We Were Meant for You follows two hopeful bear parents as they wait, watch, and prepare across the seasons for the children they know are destined to join their family. What was the inspiration for your story?

The inspiration for I Always Knew We Were Meant for You was born during the waiting period of our adoption journey—a time when your heart holds an immense, quiet space of love for a child you have not yet met. While we were waiting, my heart ached with longing and hope, and I often found myself thinking about my future children and what this journey might feel like for them.

One evening, during a moment of deep reflection, I realized the message I most wanted to give them: that this love was always meant for them, and that our family was destined to find one another. I wanted my child to know that wherever they were in the world, there was a mother and father preparing, believing, and loving them long before we met. This story became my way of saying, I always knew we were meant for you.

The book centers on waiting with hope rather than anxiety. Why was that emotional tone important to you?

Hope has always been the foundation of this journey, and it is something I intentionally center in my writing. My path to motherhood came with challenges, and hope sometimes waivered—however, it was something I had to learn, lean into, and grow through my faith. Over time, I came to understand that hope is one of God’s greatest gifts, especially within the adoption journey, where trust and love are being built long before a child arrives.

There were moments when holding onto hope felt difficult, but during those times, God placed people in my life who continually spoke truth into my heart, reminding me, “You will be an amazing mother.” Hearing those words again and again allowed hope to take root. Eventually, I began to feel what I had always known to be true—that this journey was meant for us, and that waiting, when held with hope, could be a beautiful and sacred space. It is my intention to give these loving words of hope to adoptive families, which is precious and sacred to me for these reasons.

There is a gentle spiritual presence throughout the book. How did you decide how much faith to include?

Faith was the quiet thread I held close while writing this book—a way of staying connected to my future adopted children during a season of waiting. Along our journey, I experienced gentle moments and messages that reassured me there was a divine presence guiding us toward our future little ones.  Readers will find some of these messages threaded into the story.

At the same time, it was important to me that the book feel welcoming to adoptive families of all faiths and spiritual backgrounds. The spiritual presence in the story is meant to reflect the beauty of what is often felt rather than seen—the deep knowing that love is already at work. My hope is that readers, no matter their beliefs, feel connected to that quiet truth: that love, in its purest form, always finds its way.

Who did you picture holding this book when you wrote it: a parent, a child, or both together?

When I began writing, I pictured a quiet, tender moment of reading this book to our adopted children—holding them close and sharing words meant just for them. As the story unfolded, I began thinking about all the other children who deserve to hear this same message of love and belonging. I imagined adoptive families everywhere reading the book together, building trust and connection through shared moments.

What started as a poem written for my own children grew into something more. I Always Knew We Were Meant for You is meant to offer children a special gift—the reassurance that they were always meant to be connected through the spirit of love. My hope is that the book gently connects children with their adoptive families, reminding them that love was waiting for them long before they arrived, and that they have always belonged.

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