Hear From Other Women

Angelica

One of my greatest fears was getting pregnant when I wasn’t ready. I wanted to finish school, begin my career, and buy a house before even thinking about starting a family. On August 26, 2008 my nightmare became a reality. I felt a number of emotions hit me at once. I was scared, shocked, nervous, stressed and confused. At only 19 years old I knew I couldn’t raise this child, yet abortion was not an option for me. I felt that killing an innocent child was not the answer. After some careful thought, I knew in my heart that adoption was the right decision.

From the beginning I knew the kind of relationship I wanted with my child. I wanted my child to know who I was and to understand how much I loved him. I wanted to be able to talk to him, visit him, and receive pictures in the mail.

I started looking for adoption agencies online, and came across the Independent Adoption Center. They grabbed my attention because they really focused on open adoption. After two days of weighing all my options, I decided to call the IAC and begin the process. The next day, I received a package full of profiles with loving couples waiting to complete their families. There were two profiles that caught my eye, but I began to feel discouraged when it didn’t work out with either one. But the counselors I dealt with were very helpful and supportive and suggested that I request more profiles. When I received the second package, Marcel and Abel’s profile immediately stood out. After reading their letter and seeing their pictures, I felt like they were perfect for my child.

I stared at their letter for three more weeks until I got the courage to send them an email. Two weeks later they gave me a call and I was amazed at how well we hit it off. Then, one month after our first conversation, I boarded a plane to Aurora, Colorado to meet them for the first time. The trip went great and I couldn’t believe how much I truly loved them in such a short period of time.

I knew that I wanted Marcel and Abel to be present in the delivery room with me, so when I started dilating early, I called them immediately. They started their long drive to Texas and arrived two days later. It turned out that I didn’t end up giving birth until my due date on May 16, 2009, so they stayed with me in Texas for an entire month. It was frustrating at times, but it was also a blessing in disguise because we were able to spend so much time together and learn so much more about each other. We went to restaurants, movies, a Ranger’s game, Medieval Times and so much more. I even threw a baby shower for them!

Up to the day of the birth I knew that adoption was still the right decision, but I was nervous how I would feel once the baby was born. When May 16 finally rolled around and my beautiful baby boy Jayvyn Alexander was born, Marcel and Abel were right by my side.

I can’t even begin to explain how I felt as a mother holding him for the first time. I never knew I could love someone so much and so unconditionally. But I knew I wasn’t capable of giving him everything he deserved. Marcel and Abel, on the other hand, were prepared to give him a loving home and to teach him good morals and values. Knowing that Jayvyn was going to have this kind of life made it easier throughout the process.

Choosing adoption was the hardest experience I’ve ever gone through, but I had to be strong and put my child and his future first. I feel blessed to have found Marcel and Abel and have them a part of my family. I can’t wait to see what the future holds for my beautiful baby.