We ask birth mothers to share their story if they choose. Here is what Melissa wrote:
My story is not easy to tell. It is about two people dedicated to each other and to giving our child the best possible life…even if it means that it isn’t with us.
I found out I was pregnant on a hot July day. At only 20 years old, I was very scared and felt alone.
For the first couple of weeks, my boyfriend Michael and I weighed our options. Abortion was completely out of the question. We debated raising our baby ourselves and at first got excited about the idea. After talking to our families, however, reality set in. Neither my family nor Michael’s family were in physical or financial states to help us. Brandon was having difficulty finding work and I wasn’t making enough money to be able to support all of us.
We then decided that we were going to give our child what she deserved; a life where she never had to go without as we did growing up.
We came to the agreement of adoption.
We contacted Dean at Adoption Makes Family, filled out paperwork, and set up a meeting. The first time we met Dean, he was so warm and heartfelt that we immediately felt at ease with our decision. He brought over portfolios of adoptive families for us to look through.
That’s when we fell in love with Chad and Janet, the adoptive family.
After the first meeting with Chad and Janet, Michael and I knew our baby was going to be so happy, loved, and very well cared for in their home.
As the pregnancy progressed, we grew even closer to them. Janet and I even agreed on a name together and she let me honor my mother and grandmother by picking the middle name for our daughter.
On March 22, 2012 at 9:43 P.M., Madelyn Rose was welcomed to the world weighing in at 6 lbs. 5 oz., 19 inches, and very healthy! Michael and I got very emotional the next day when it came time to sign the paperwork that sealed the adoption. Dean remained supportive the whole entire time.
The next morning was the hardest thing in my life I’ve ever had to do. I had to say goodbye to my daughter, who I carried for 9 months, felt every movement and kick, and stole my heart just 36 hours before.
As soon as I left the hospital I cried for the whole rest of the day in Brandon’s arms.
Adoption does cause stress on every party involved. Michael and I were just two young people in love, forced by our circumstances to make a scary decision for the innocent life of an unborn child. Looking back, however, we wouldn’t change our decision for the world.
We keep in contact with Dean and love receiving updates and pictures of Madelyn. It makes us feel good to know that we made the dreams of our baby and two loving parents come true by choosing adoption.