From Heartbreak to Hope

The inspiring adoption journey of the Pullis family

By Crystal Kassab Jabiro

When Dawn (Shaouni) Pullis’s stomach pains were too much to bear, she went to the doctor and was surprised by a diagnosis of ovarian cancer.

She was 21. 

The examination was caught in its early stage, so she had an oophorectomy, the surgical removal of both her ovaries, and did not require chemotherapy or radiation. It took eight weeks to recover, but years to find a life partner who would accept her as an infertile wife. Pullis was rejected multiple times by Chaldean men when she told them she would be unable to have children.

“No Chaldean man was brave enough for an adoption journey at that time,” she noted.

Pullis eventually got engaged to her now-husband Joe, who came from a big Irish Catholic family, the sixth of ten children. He was content with the idea that life would be just the two of them. They had lots of siblings, and nieces and nephews, they thought. Nevertheless, he brought up adoption and told her he would be fine with that, too, if she wanted to pursue it. They began the process on the day of their third wedding anniversary, and their first child, Evelyn, was born on January 1, 2016. She just turned 10. 

The Pullis Family immediately applied to adopt more kids after Evelyn was born and were even willing to accept multiples. More than three years later, they welcomed an adoption placement of twin boys, Thomas and Dominic. They were overjoyed, and that joy was contagious, as friends and family members consistently stopped by to drop off necessities. 

The joy never disappeared, even when the Pullises were informed that their sons were each diagnosed with a microdeletion of Chromosome 15, a genetic disorder that included cleft palates. They also had congenital femoral deficiency (CFD) and would require limb lengthening. There was never another decision to make, Pullis said. 

“The Holy Spirit filled me with the strength for the road ahead because they were meant to be ours,” said Pullis, 48. 

The boys, now six years old, have spent months at a time (multiple times) with their big sister and parents at the Paylee Institute in West Palm Beach, Florida. They are a case study of twins with CFD who have made remarkable gains in their physical activity, particularly in terms of limb lengthening. Most of all, the experience there has been emotionally healthy for the whole family.

There is an on-site house that accommodates 30 families, allowing the kids to see others like themselves. Pullis claimed all the kids encouraged each other in different ways, and that was a sign to her that God wanted them there. 

Pullis maintains that it was God’s plan all along; that perhaps her infertility was a sign for her to adopt these three beautiful children and form a family with them. If her children did not have these conditions, she and Joe would have adopted more right away. 

“We really wanted to make sure our kids had the attention they deserved,” said Pullis, who owns and operates two State Farm Insurance agencies. “We have Mommy and Me or Daddy and Me outings, where each of us spends one-on-one time with the kids. This was especially important for Evelyn because the boys do require so much special attention.”

Pullis also asserted that it was essential for her and her husband to stay connected, as they constantly attend to their kids’ immediate needs. To strengthen their marriage, they attended a couples’ retreat two months ago in Farmington Hills, called Retrouvaille, a Catholic-based, peer-led program for married couples. She said it was the reset they needed and would recommend it to any couple willing to attend.

Her message to the couples with infertility is this: “You are not alone. There are numerous resources available. Start with our own Office of Life at the Chaldean Diocese.” Pullis also encourages couples who already have kids to consider adopting. 

“All kids are a blessing, and what a beautiful way it is to add to your family,” said Pullis.

Adoption may appear overwhelming at first, and it was not easy, she said, but everything was fixable. She had no fear because she took it one step at a time. 

“God will provide.” 

For more information on adoption, visit the Office of Life at https://chaldeanchurch.org/life/. For more information on Retrouvaille, visit  https://helpourmarriage.org/.