So there is about 3 minutes left in the day and I just wanted to tell everybody HAPPY NATIONAL ADOPTION DAY! I'm working on an awesome post so stay tuned :)
11.23.2013
11.18.2013
Adoption Interview: Kerry- An Adoptive Mom
I was able to participate in an adoption interview project. I was matched with another open adoption blogger and we read through each other's blog and created questions to interview them with- kind of like an exchange! It was so cool to read from an adoptive mom's view.
So with out further or due- Here is my interview with Kerry, from The M House, a mother through adoption and an advocate for infant loss and infertility!
Interview
1.
What events led you to choosing adoption as your
path to parenthood?
I always wanted to adopt, so I knew
at some point we would go down that path. However, after losing our daughter at
6.5 months to severe preeclampsia, we realized adoption would be our only
option. The odds of having a successful pregnancy were slim to none and my
health was also an issue.
2.
Will you try to have kids again?
No.
There have been significant gains in preeclampsia research and right
before we were matched we decided to talk with my perinatologist. He gave us
some promising numbers and we decided to give it a shot. We tried to conceive
for six months before we stopped. During that time, my sister got pregnant. She
began having blood pressure issues and my anxiety level went through the roof.
I knew then I didn’t want to chance another complicated pregnancy that may or
may not turn out well.
3.
I understand that you have an open adoption, how
open is it?
Currently, it’s more of a semi-open
adoption. We regularly send pictures and the first few months we spoke with Z’s
birthmom on the phone. The last couple
of months have been quiet. We haven’t wanted to push for contact because we
wanted to respect her wishes. Because we hadn’t heard from her in a while, we
wrote her a letter and asked if she wanted to meet. A few weeks later, she
called and I’m happy to say that we are getting together in a couple of weeks!
4.
You seem to be active in the pregnancy/infant
loss community, what are some contributions you have made?
The pregnancy/infant loss community
has been and continues to be a huge support system for me. The one thing I
strive to do is be vocal. Pregnancy and infant loss, along with infertility,
seems to be a secret topic among women. It’s not discussed. I don’t want to
hide behind my loss. It happened. I gave birth to my daughter who had ten fingers
and ten toes, just like everyone else. She isn’t a figure of my imagination. My
grief was (is) real. No mother should have to pretend she isn’t hurting. You
have to grieve to heal. I want others to know it’s okay to not be okay. It’s
okay to have good days and bad days, even if it’s years later. The goal, at
least for me, isn’t to forget and move on, but to accept, heal, and grow.
5.
What has been the biggest blessing that has come
with your adoption journey?
My biggest blessing is my daughter.
I am humbled that her birthmom chose us to raise her baby girl. No matter what
happens in the future, Z’s birthmom will always have a special place in our
lives and in our hearts. She didn’t have
to choose this path for herself or for her daughter, yet she did.
6.
What has been the biggest obstacle with your
adoption journey?
There has been a couple here and
there. The first being testicular cancer. My husband was diagnosed two months
before we were supposed to begin our home study classes. His radiation
treatments coincided with those classes and he was obviously too sick to
participate. At that point, we only wanted to focus on him getting better.
We also had a few family members
who weren’t on our side. They weren’t “not” supportive, but they weren’t
supportive either. We would hear from others that they would talk about our
decision behind our backs. It was definitely hurtful. However, we took it with
a grain of salt because they had never been around adoption. We knew they would
love our child once he or she was here. And that’s exactly what happened. J
7.
Have your friends and family been supportive in
your adoption journey?
Besides a few, everyone has been
supportive. They were just as happy and excited as we were. Still are!
8.
How long did you wait before you were matched
with your birth mom?
We began the official adoption
process in the spring of 2011. We got
the call saying we were matched Sept 5, 2012.
It ended up being around 15 months.
So there you have it! I hope to participate in this again next year! It has been fun celebrating adoption month and spreading the word about adoption!
To read other interviews follow this link!
11.05.2013
Birth Mom Meet Up
Look at all these amazing women! |
The meet up was at a park and the second I pulled up and walked under the gazebo, I felt the most powerful force. The spirit was so strong there. I immediately had to talk myself down from just spewing tears everywhere! I hadn't even talked to anyone yet and my heart was full of love for every single woman there! We wrote our names on name tags and it was so great to see all the people I have talked with over Facebook and other social media sites. It was so surreal that I was actually PHYSICALLY talking to them. It was the first time I had ever met them, but they were and are some of my best friends. I felt right at home with all of them. We walked around and introduced ourselves and I seemed to say "So, what's your story?" to every one. No story was the same. We were told to bring a picture of our birth children, so I of course brought a picture of Kinley. We also wrote 3 words that described what adoption meant to us. I chose MIRACLES, LOVE, and OPPORTUNITIES. They had us hold up our pictures and words for an awesome photographer to take our picture. I felt all fancy getting my pictures taken.
This is the slide show they created with all the photos! you may need a tissue!
This is the slide show they created with all the photos! you may need a tissue!
I met Sarah a long time ago via Instagram and it was so awesome to meet her for real! |
Oh Janice- I met her over Facebook a few weeks previous to the retreat and she is the sweetest most funniest lady ever! Her birth son is about my age I think! |
These are 3 amazing ladies! Ashley Mitchell, Alysia Foote, and Haley Kirkpatrick! These are the ladies who made it all happen! |
I am so grateful I was able to go to this birth mom meet up. I made new friendships and I was also able to carry some wisdom home with me.
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