An Open Adoption Success Story
An Open Adoption Success Story
Open adoption occurs when the birth mother wishes to remain in contact with her child and his or her adoptive parents. This is a great option for birth mothers who still desire to have a relationship with her child without having parental responsibilities. If you’re wondering if this option is right for you, let us bring to your attention one of the many open adoption success stories:
Heather’s Open Adoption Story
Growing up, Heather always longed to be a mother. She loved playing with dolls, babysitting and playing “house.” For as long as she could remember, her life plan looked something like this: graduate college, get married, start a successful career and have kids — specifically in that order.
For the most part, she was right on track to achieving her goals. Her high school GPA was nearly a 4.0, she was a star track athlete and she was awarded a full college scholarship. Not only was she successful in her academic endeavors, but she also had a strong relationship with her boyfriend, Dante. They were together since their freshman year and planned to go to the same college. Then, the day before winter break of her senior year, Heather woke up feeling extremely sick. This was an overwhelming, unfamiliar illness that she could not pinpoint. Instead of going to school that morning, she went to the doctor’s office for some answers. To her surprise, it wasn’t the flu, food poisoning or even a random stomach bug – she was pregnant.
Shocked and unprepared, Heather shared her fears with Dante. At this point, the cons of having a baby outweighed the pros for them. She always wanted to be a mother, but when the time was right. They weren’t financially stable. They both still lived with their parents, and they had at least four years of school left to obtain their long-awaited dream careers.
Heather had a family friend who was a social worker, so she sat down with her to discuss her options. She didn’t know what her next steps were or how her friends and family would react, but she knew one thing for sure – she could not raise this baby. Sure, there were plenty of other teen moms that made it work. Her mom was one of them. But for Heather, it was vital to have a career and achieve financial stability before becoming a mother.
After discussing their choices with the social worker, Heather and Dante both decided that adoption would be the right path for them. They both still wanted to get to know their birth daughter and communicate with the family that was raising her, so they chose to pursue an open adoption.
They spent the next several months meeting with prospective adoptive families for their daughter. After a long search, they found what they deemed to be the perfect family. Penelope was born the summer before Heather went off to college. As difficult as it was coming home from the hospital without a baby, Heather knew that she did the right thing and that Penelope was in great hands.
Fast forward five years. Penelope and her birth parents are thriving. Heather and Dante graduated college and just attended Penelope’s preschool graduation. With one of the biggest families in the audience, Penelope was beaming with joy at how many people were there to support her. She always knew that she was adopted and kept in touch with her birth parents, mainly via video chat while they were away at school.
Now, finished with their education and starting their careers, Heather and Dante see Penelope even more. They attend birthdays, barbeques and more gatherings to get to know the family better and keep in touch with their birth daughter. As Penelope gets older, they plan on writing her letters, attending more school events, and doing everything else they can to ensure that she knows she’s loved (with the approval of her adoptive parents, of course).
It can undoubtedly be a struggle to mesh two families and revolve their schedules around each other, but they make work. Not for themselves, not for the adoptive parents, but for Penelope.
An Open Adoption Success Story
One of the biggest advantages in living in times of high technology usage is that, essentially, any topic is accessible online. The Internet is not only a wealth of information, but it also serves as a platform that provides personal experiences. Many lifestyle bloggers are choosing to open up about their lives, whether it be a financial issue or a family matter.
The great thing about this is that it lets you know that you’re not alone. This story is just one of many that highlights the benefits of open adoption. You will always have the final say, and Adoption Choices of Las Vegas is here to support you in your journey.
Adoption Choices of Nevada in Las Vegas has been providing adoption and surrogacy services across Nevada since 2012. For information specific to Las Vegas, please visit our sister site Adoption and Surrogacy Choices of Las Vegas. For information specific to Reno, please visit our sister site Adoption and Surrogacy Choices of Reno. You can also call us to speak to someone now. Contact Us 24/7: CALL OR TEXT 702-474-4673
Meet the Author: Hi! I’m Ashley! I am a senior at Loyola University Chicago pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in journalism. My hobbies include: reading, writing, and binge-watching the newest Netflix craze.
I hope to one day be a reporter, but I also have an interest in social work. When I’m not in school or working, you can find me relaxing with friends, shopping or volunteering at a local foster home.