“I fell to my knees. It couldn’t be. This baby boy was going to go to an entirely new home. I cried myself to sleep, praying he was safe and loved. My phone rang. When she said his name, I thought I was going to throw up.”
‘He sobbed when I drove him home, ‘No, Mommy!’ It was unbearable. In his eyes, we abandoned him.’: Woman adopts brothers 2 years after saying goodbye, ‘God had bigger plans’
‘How would you feel about having a baby?’ We caught the only flight out. Suddenly, all the heartache made sense.’: Couple adopts after 4 years of infertility, ‘Everything led us straight to her’
“We didn’t get to hear her heartbeat on an ultrasound. We didn’t get a gender reveal party or a baby shower. Nobody visited us at the hospital. And I wouldn’t change it for anything in the world.”
‘Are you giving up?’ He replied, ‘You aren’t getting pregnant!’ I surrendered my idea of family.’: Couple pursues adoption after infertility battle, ‘Our hearts completely changed’
“My heart sunk. ‘Wait, but what about me?’ I was ecstatic to help this little one go home, but my life had shifted and I wasn’t ready to go back.”
‘I was POSITIVE their parental rights should be taken away. Then I saw the toughest exterior break. I wept for her.’: Foster mom advocates for bio moms, ‘They’re often dealt bad cards’
“We had a sweet little boy enter our family. As I listened to his parents’ stories, my heart softened. Instead of seeing them as monsters, I saw them as people.”
‘You’re still holding on.’ We hadn’t let go of our twins. I started having vivid dreams of a baby boy.’: Couple adopt after loss, ‘Our babies are truly watching over us’
“The doctor looked worried. ‘I can’t find a heartbeat.’ I asked, ‘Both of them?’ It had been over 3 years and yet, we still had not let go. Until we got a call about a mom who wanted to meet us.”
‘Stay with me!’ My body was septic. I’d never carry our child. ‘There’s a baby at the hospital. Do you want him?’: After losses, couple foster to adopt, ‘He’s the redemption to our pain’
“‘He’s 3 days old, do you want to pick him up?’”
‘Calvin will be a little brother.’ They said, ‘You mean BIG brother?’ We assumed we’d get a newborn. Then we read her story.’: Couple adopts older child, ‘The sibling bond amazes us’
“She flexed her muscles. ‘Do you think they know how strong I am?’ She asked if I would take her picture and send it to her foster family, so they could see how strong she’s become.”
‘She’s sending me away. She says I’m a bad kid and I’m wrecking her life. Why doesn’t anybody love me?’ I held his little hand, crying hard. ‘Will you adopt me?’: Woman adopts boy from foster care, ‘He’s the missing piece we didn’t know we needed’
“It was a chilly fall night when Zack called. ‘My mom is out of control. I’m scared. I don’t know what to do.’ He was hiding in the driveway. I jumped into the car. ‘Nobody wants me bec—’ We quickly interjected, ‘Nope, it doesn’t matter what happened. We want you. We love you. And you always belong here, no matter what.’ In that moment, we knew he was ours.”
‘The letter said, ‘I’m your daughter. Can you meet me?’ She’s the secret that ate away at me for 18 years.’: Birth mom reunites with daughter, shares healing journey
“This amazing human I had given birth to was a complete stranger.”
‘The nurse came in and said, ‘Her new parents are ready for her.’ Only 15, I kissed her soft baby cheek, and placed her into the arms of her mama.’: Teen mom embarks on ‘beautiful’ open adoption journey, ‘I couldn’t have picked better parents’
“I hid my pregnancy for 7 months. I should’ve been picking the perfect dress for Winter Ball. Instead, I was writing a birth plan. Once my sobs slowed, I looked at her birth father and said, ‘Those are the people who will raise our baby girl.’ I wavered. I fought. I broke. But in the end, I knew what I needed to do.”
