“How was I supposed to tell my mom before she died? I had a dream she was holding the baby as they stood in the clouds. ‘I’ll take care of him until he’s ready to enter the world.’ I clung to those words.”
‘I’m sure it’s nothing.’ I came out of the bathroom, shaking. I was terrified to tell the father. I’d made such a mess of my life.’: Birth mom details open adoption journey, ‘Everything fell into place’
‘You need a closed adoption.’ My mom was adamant. Suddenly, the world turned upside down. She’d kept the secret for 35 years.’: Adoptive mom finds lost long sister, ‘It was divine intervention’
“My cousin called, ‘Can you take care of my baby?’ I felt an instant connection. Our family was complete and our adoption story had a sweet closure. Or so I thought. It all came together in that shocking moment.”
‘Are you my birth mom?’ I fought tears. ‘She searched all over for a Daddy and Papa who’d take care of you.’: Dads discuss blessing of open adoption
“‘I don’t have a mother.’ They see ‘mommies’ come to pick their kids up every day. ‘We searched everywhere for you, baby.’”
‘I haven’t had enough time with her.’ It was a gut punch. I had to say goodbye to the child I carried.’: Teen mom reunites with daughter, ‘I never stopped loving her’
“I handed her to her mother. As we watched them drive away with her, pain rushed through me and tears flooded my face. I knew she would never be mine again. 16 years later, I had an email.”
‘My baby is supposed to be with you.’ I thought it was a scam. She had every right to keep him.’: Couple battling infertility pursue open adoption, ‘It’s been so beautiful’
“I told my husband, ‘I’m almost out of hope.’ Then an expectant mother reached out to us. It didn’t seem real. I should have felt relief and joy, but what if she changed her mind?”
‘You need to place our child for adoption.’ How could he ask me to do that? I was totally alone.’: Birth mom becomes part of son’s adoptive family, ‘The moments we share are priceless’
“I was 24, barely able to make ends meet. As he woke up for the day, I was peeing on a stick. We’d turn into those vindictive co-parents. It was a reason to save our child from parents like us.”
‘You look like you’ve got a cancer patient.’ Who is going to pick YOU?’: Mom adopts daughter with alopecia and a baby boy, ‘I’m in awe of my family’
“They melted and said, ‘Look at the joy in her face. If they love her, we know they’ll love our baby.’ They saw a family with differences and still chose us.”
‘I want you to adopt my baby.’ Do I have what it takes? As a kid, I was yelled at and left alone. I lost a desire for kids.’: Couple adopts siblings, ‘They are our gifts’
“We got married at the ages of 16 and 20. I told my husband, ‘Never expect kids to be a part of our lives.’ Then a birth mom wanted to meet us. She already had the baby! We were in shock.”
‘I was only 16. I brought my stuffed Eeyore for comfort, a child giving birth to another child. I wanted different for her.’: Mom shares open adoption story, ‘Our families are bound together’
“I saw how her life would look: a single mom constantly working, wishing to provide nicer things, and a little girl wondering why her father didn’t want to be around. Then, the veil lifted. Both myself and the birth parents could complete her life’s ‘puzzle.’”
‘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.”
