Posted by Jennifer O.
When I thought about adoption, I wondered how I could find the right family for Maya. I imagined a loving family ready to take care of a baby. There were so many things I wanted Maya to have that I couldn’t give her: I wanted her to have two parents, a dog, and a yard to play in. I wanted her to live in a safe neighborhood and attend a safe school. Mostly, I wanted her to have the best life possible, and to make sure she could grow up to be whatever she wanted.
I was 19 when I found out I was having a baby. It wasn’t part of my plan. I couldn’t take care of her—I was just starting my first job and my family wasn’t able to help me. That’s when I started thinking about adoption.
I found Adoption Resources after doing some research online. I worked with Marty at Adoption Resources to figure out if adoption was right for me. We talked about all of my options. Then, we talked about “open adoption.” We talked about what race, age, religion, hobbies, and also how much contact we might have after the baby was with them. We talked about everything! Marty really listened to me.
Marty brought me some photo books and letters from families that had been waiting to adopt a baby. I learned how much these couples have to go through in order to adopt. I took the books and letters home and thought about each family. They all seemed nice, but something about Ben and Isabelle really grabbed me. The book and letter showed me their families, their home and their neighborhood, but especially how much they wanted to be parents. It turned out that they both like country music and Mexican food, just like me. They like to go camping and have a big, big family. It looked like they laugh a lot, too. As I read about their marriage, I felt sure that my baby would be safe and loved.
Now, Maya is 6. She knows me and I can see how happy she is every time I see her. An open adoption is what we agreed on. Ben and Isabelle are great parents. I remember someone saying, “The more people who love a baby the better.” That is certainly my feeling now too. Open adoption works.