We were in our early 20’s. We weren’t ready. Period.
We met at Job Corp, both of us focused on getting our lives and careers on track. We had been dating for about a year when we discovered we were pregnant. I started getting morning sickness, took a pregnancy test, and because I didn’t want to believe the results, I went to a pregnancy center for a second opinion.
I was six to eight weeks pregnant.
We were surprised and shocked. Our acceptance of the fact that we were pregnant, along with our moods, were all over the map. Honestly, we didn’t know what to think. We weren’t ready emotionally or financially to parent a child. We needed to get our own lives together and we were living with Ray’s dad.
We considered our options. We don’t judge others, however, abortion wasn’t the right decision for us. We thought about all of the couples who can’t have children. The thought of helping another couple create their own family was inspiring.
We received a list of adoption agencies from the pregnancy center we visited, but we never called any of them. Instead we searched on-line and found Graceful Adoptions. We loved the story about how and why Graceful Adoptions was formed, and that it was named after the founder’s adopted daughter Grace. Graceful Adoptions wasn’t just a business, it was an adoptive parents’ opportunity to give back.
It showed in everything they did. Their personal, helpful, and hands-on approach made what we thought would be a complicated and emotional process, a lot easier. They were there for us every step of the way.
We were thankful to have the opportunity to learn about different families in order to find that special connection with one amazing family. The phone interview allowed us to ask the adoptive parents specific questions. But it was the in-person visit that gave us the opportunity to get to know each other, have some fun, and enjoy each other’s company. It was this time together that built the foundation for our relationship. The family we ultimately selected are just good, decent people – accepting, open, loving, and generous.
We know that our daughter is in the best place, and we see it in every update the adoptive parents send us. We look forward to watching her grow, develop, and learn over the years.
We recommend Graceful Adoptions to anyone considering adoption. The entire team is amazing, they are so caring, and they don’t “side” with birth parents or adoptive parents but work together to support the relationship long term. They really care about the parents they work with.
Rachel and Ray
Des Moines, IA
