I was truly shocked when I discovered I was pregnant. I was in jail and had just received a 12-month sentence for a probation violation.
I was scared.
Two years prior, I had placed a child through an independent adoption. I couldn’t believe I was here again. I reviewed my options. Abortion wasn’t an option – I didn’t believe in it. I wanted my child to have a better life than what I could give him or her. Even when I got out. I didn’t have family that could take on the responsibility, everyone was already struggling with their own families and financial issues.
I came to the same conclusion. I would place the child for adoption. But, this time I would work with an agency. I wanted to make sure my interests were represented and I received the services I needed.
I called three adoption agencies and didn’t like any of them. My sister agreed to do some additional research. After she talked to employees from several agencies, she provided me the name and number of just one – Graceful Adoptions.
To me, they sounded perfect. My instincts told me ‘this is the agency.’
I was surprised at how different working with Graceful Adoptions was from doing the independent adoption I had done in the past. It was so much better! Even though I was in jail and basically alone, I never felt that way. I felt a sense closeness with the Graceful Adoptions’ team throughout the process and always knew they were there to support me.
When the time came to select parents I couldn’t believe how well Graceful Adoptions’ match process worked. First, I provided a list of criteria for the parents I would consider. I wanted to make sure they would love my child unconditionally as if they gave birth to him or her. They needed to be emotionally stable as individuals and as a couple. They needed to be financially stable, educated and support my child through higher education. They also needed to agree and commit to providing the communication and updates I wanted so that I could know that my child was doing well.
I already knew that Graceful Adoptions did a complete background check and they had a rigorous interview process before any family was approved to work with them. But I wanted to make sure the parents I selected were absolutely perfect.
I reviewed 4 profiles. All would have been amazing parents, but one family stood out from the rest. A sense of peace came over me when I read their profile. This was the family I wanted to interview. That night I slept better than I had slept in months. When I met them in person, words cannot explain the feelings that came over me. I was calm. I knew everything was going to be alright. Considering I was still in jail, this feeling of comfort surprised me. There was no question that this was the family for my child.
We spent a lot of time together getting to know each other while I was at the hospital. We ate lunch and dinner together every day, and took turns taking care of our son. When the time came for us to be discharged, our son left with his new parents. It was sad to say goodbye, we all cried. I knew he was going to have the life I wanted for him, but it was still hard. I kept reminding myself this wasn’t about me; I had to think of my child.
I would recommend Graceful Adoptions to anyone considering making an adoption plan. The experience with Graceful Adoptions was so much better than the independent adoption I had completed. I knew the team was always there to support me, and I never felt alone.
-Kim I.
Lynchburg, VA
