Our Beautiful Journey Through Open Adoption: A Story of Love, Hope, and Connection

In March of this year, our lives were forever changed when we adopted our son. The road to adoption wasn’t always clear or easy, but it has been more beautiful and rewarding than we could have ever imagined. I want to share our journey with you—what it looked like, what we learned, and why open adoption has turned out to be the most amazing blessing for our family. Adoption is an extraordinary experience, and it’s different for everyone. For us, we chose the private adoption route. We hired a consultant that helped us navigate the system and put us in a position to be seen by birth parents who were looking to place their child for adoption. This sped up the process for us, and within less than a year, we were matched with a birth mother and father who chose us to be their son’s parents.

The Waiting Game: A Journey of Patience and Openness

The adoption process was a journey in patience and openness. During that year, we saw about 8 different cases. For each one, we received detailed information about the birth mother, her medical history, and the father’s involvement. We then had the opportunity to apply by submitting our profile (or “scrapbook”), which was a detailed presentation of who we are and why we would be a good fit for their baby. We applied to two cases before our son, but were not chosen. However, each time, we learned more about what it meant to be open to the unexpected. We knew from the start that we had to be open to the circumstances of the child we would adopt. Our son is biracial, with a half African-American birth mother. His story is not one of easy beginnings—his birth mom faced struggles with addiction, and the road leading to his birth was filled with difficulty. But we knew, deep in our hearts, that this was the baby we were meant to love and care for. We embraced this truth, and we also embraced the reality that adopting a child from such a background would require understanding, compassion, and a lot of love.

The Call That Changed Everything

Our breakthrough came when we received a call from My Choice Adoption Agency in Tallahassee, Florida. They told us about a birth mother who was homeless, about to give birth, and looking for a family. She had two other children in the system due to her struggles with addiction, but she was determined to find a better future for her unborn child. We met her, and almost immediately, we felt a connection. It was clear to us that she deeply loved her son and wanted the best for him—despite the challenges she had faced. As part of the process, we also met our son’s birth dad. While many birth fathers are not involved in the adoption process, his birth father was very much a part of the decision. We met him and our son’s birth mother with the My Choice Adoption team, and it felt like the perfect match. The feeling of unity between us all was something special, and it made us even more excited to be a part of our son’s story.

The Day He Was Born: A Moment of Miracles

The day our son was born, I received a text from his birth mom that she was ready to go to the hospital. When I arrived to pick her up, she was struggling, but we got to the hospital in time, and he was born later that day. It was an emotional experience, filled with both joy and some worry for his health, as he had been exposed during pregnancy. He spent 5 days in the hospital then 2 in the NICU to manage his withdrawal symptoms, but from the moment we held him, we knew he was our son, and we would love him through anything. The early days were challenging, but they were also filled with hope and gratitude. It was clear to us that his birth mom loved her son so much. We were able to help care for her during that time, and we stayed in touch through texts. Despite the circumstances, we always felt supported and cared for by her, and we knew we were part of something truly special.

The Beauty of Open Adoption

One of the greatest gifts of our adoption has been the open communication we have with our son’s birth family. Most adoptions today are open, which means there is an ongoing relationship between adoptive parents and birth parents. This wasn’t always the case, but today it’s a beautiful way to ensure that the child knows where they come from and that they are loved by everyone in their story. We’ve stayed in touch with our child’s birth mom, and even though both she and his birth dad have faced challenges, we know they are thinking about him and care deeply for him. We’ve also had the privilege of getting to know his biological grandparents and extended family, who are absolutely wonderful people that we see on a regular basis. It’s such a blessing to know that our son will grow up knowing his full story, with the understanding that he is loved by both his adoptive and biological families.

A Perfect Fit for Our Family

Adopting our son has truly been the best decision we ever made. It has been an emotional journey, but one filled with blessings, love, and hope. The challenges we faced in the beginning only made us stronger as a family, and the relationships we’ve built with his birth family are ones we will cherish forever. We believe that open adoption is the best way to give our child a full, honest, and loving future. Our son is a miracle. He’s the child we were always meant to have, and the love we feel for him grows every day. His birth parents may have faced struggles, but what they gave us was a son—one who will always know where he comes from and how deeply he is loved. We are so grateful for the trust they placed in us, and we will honor that trust by making sure his life is filled with love, joy, and security.

To our son’s birth family: You are loved, and we will forever be grateful for the gift you’ve given us. Thank you for choosing us to be part of your son’s life. We will always be here, and we look forward to the years ahead, knowing that together, we’ve given him the best chance at a full, beautiful life.

Adoption may not be easy, but it is always worth it. For us, open adoption has proven to be the most wonderful way to build a family. We couldn’t be more thankful to have our son in our lives thanks to My Choice Adoption Agency.