What I Thought Vs. Reality

Prior to getting pregnant, I believed adoption had this negative connotation. From what I saw in the media, and even within my own family, adoption was a mother abandoning her child and never seeing the child again. I pictured a mother putting her baby in a blanket and putting it on the steps of a doctor’s office, or a fire station. The whole idea didn’t make sense to me. Why would a mother do that? Did she feel guilty for what she did? Does she ever think about that baby?

Fast forward to when the roles were reversed, I was at the hospital and it was me making all of the decisions, I was unsure about a lot of things. I didn’t know when/ if I wanted to see my baby girl again. I didn’t know if my baby could love me after placing her with a new family. I didn’t know what others would think of me if I placed for adoption. I knew my decision would not only impact me but so many others too. Being a junior in college, I knew it was not realistic to raise the child on my own. I had goals and a career I wanted to pursue. After talking to Joanne from Hopeful Beginnings, I decided to place my child for adoption. She taught me all of the positive aspects of open adoption. Although it was the hardest decision in my life, I knew that I was in control and I could make my own story. I still was not sure what my adoption story would look like, but I knew I wanted to see my child often. There was a lot of uncertainty about the process, my emotions, and my love. The only thing I was certain about was the family I chose.

Hopeful Beginnings helped me be the best mother that I could possibly be. It has been about 2 years since I had my baby girl and I see her every month. She knows who I am and most importantly she knows her birth mom loves her. My story is so happy because I was in control and I chose how my baby’s adoption story would play out. Because of Hopeful Beginnings, I have been surrounded by so many positive influences. Through post-adoption counseling, I became a better version of myself, and I get to have a relationship with my daughter.

This is your life, you are allowed to make the decisions that are the best for you! Your adoption story is supposed to be what is best for you. Please do not allow the media or past experiences to influence you as it did for me. I am at peace and am over the moon with my daughter and her adoptive parents. They treat me like a member of their family!  And…my daughter calls me Mommy!!!!!!!!!