Being able to place my beautiful baby boy for adoption has been one of the biggest blessings I have ever received in my life! Placing my baby in the care of the two most awesome people I will ever know is a gift. I have a peace of mind knowing that my son is loved beyond measure, in a safe home, surrounded by family who love and care for him, and receiving the attention and upbringing I want for all of my children. Choosing adoption and living with it is not always easy. However, truly evaluating my life and being honest with myself about my own circumstances and what I want for my family gives me the perspective I need to understand the blessings of having placed my son for adoption. Some say that “giving away” a baby and “receiving a gift” are two completely opposite ideas. I say, in my case, they are wrong.

When I first discovered I was pregnant, adoption did not even enter my mind. The moment I found out I was pregnant; I just knew I was going to have an abortion. After I spoke to one of the ladies at A Act of Love about the option for adoption, I decided to at least get some information before I moved forward with my initial plans. After talking for hours to the agency, asking dozens of questions, giving them “what if” scenarios, and discussing legal issues I was concerned about, I realized that adoption is not what some others make it out to be. After learning about the adoption process and what it would mean for my baby and me, I knew in my heart that adoption was the right option for me and my unborn baby. Once I had the right information, the decision to place for adoption was easy.

While the decision was easy, the follow through and commitment to that decision was not. Grueling. Intense. Emotional. Stressful. Frustrating. Humiliating…these are just some of the emotions I grappled with during the placement process. Even now, a year and a half after placement, I still struggle with some pretty intense emotions over the loss of my baby. However, I got through the hardest parts. Now that I have had time to heal and regain emotional stability (because hormones during and immediately after pregnancy are haywire), I am able to see the blessings of adoption.

For myself and my two boys, ages 5 and 7, we still get to enjoy our lives and have fun talking about the baby that was once in Mommy’s belly. We talk about their baby brother that is with his mom, dad, and sister, and we all like to look for “babies” (tiny stuffed animals) to send to him. It is a great opportunity to teach them about families and love. I was able to continue pursuing my Master’s degree, something I would not have done with another baby at home. For my son, he has the BEST family in the world! He has a mom, dad, and sister at home with him with tons of other family members who absolutely adore him. He gets the opportunity to have a two-parent home that are financially secure and provide him with the healthcare, love, and attention every child deserves. He has parents that are devoted to each other and raising a family. I am completely confident my son is receiving the upbringing I want for all of my boys. He is receiving the upbringing that I could not have given to him myself. That is the blessing of adoption for me. – Skylar