Melanie and Luke Dabbs have been best friends since their senior year of high school. The two met at a church they were both attending in 2010, and have been inseparable ever since! After courting for 7 years, they were married in Raleigh, NC in April, 2017. They now live in Raleigh with their corgi-terrier mix, Kona. They both love superheroes, Disney movies, cosplaying, traveling, and board games. Melanie is a teacher of the Deaf and hard of hearing, and teaches at a middle school. Luke is a Real Estate photographer and just graduated from NC State University with a major in Spanish. Melanie and Luke love language, traveling, and different cultures, and are excited to get to know their adopted child’s home country and culture.
Since Melanie was a little girl, she has dreamed of growing her family through adoption. It was something she talked to Luke about before they were married, and they were both in agreement that they would adopt someday. However, with all of the country requirements, such as age and length of marriage, just out of reach, they were prepared to have to wait to start their adoption journey for several years. That’s when Melanie’s friend announced that she would be adopting from a small orphanage in a West African country. After asking some questions, Melanie realized that she and Luke also met the country requirements for adopting from this country! They looked at a picture of some of the children who also lived in that orphanage, and fell in love with a little boy named Sid.
Sid is an adorable 5-year-old boy who loves Spider-Man, cars, and turtles. Melanie and Luke have been able to talk to him twice a month, and the first time they spoke to him, he said, “I love you, Mom and Dad!”. That is a moment the two of them will never forget!
Sid was badly burned as a toddler, and currently does not have use of his hands. He needs several surgeries to loosen scar tissue and allow his body to grow properly, as well as give him back the use of his hands. He also needs a family to love him and hold him through his medical journey! Melanie and Luke are so excited to meet their little guy and bring him home!
9/25/2019 — DOSSIER SUBMITTED & OFFICIAL REFERRAL RECEIVED