Our Adoption StoryHow it all began...
An Easy Decision
As a same-sex couple, we had to explore alternative avenues for growing our family. Ultimately adoption was an easy decision. Michael’s father was adopted, so we witnessed firsthand how a family is not bound by blood. Once we were married, we began searching for agencies and companies that would provide us with the support we desired.
We felt welcomed by Angel and appreciated their advocacy for waiting families along with expecting parents. We learned about Angel’s mission and read up on other adoptive families’ experiences. It was a pretty easy decision at that point to go with Angel to help us become parents!
A Path Unpaved
We were excited to start the journey. We got insight from Michael’s grandparents but knew no two adoption stories were the same, so we didn’t know what to expect. Obviously we knew our desired outcome, but the path to get there wasn’t paved.
One of our biggest challenges was the home study process during the COVID era. It took us seven months to complete the process, including waiting for over three hours one Saturday morning to get fingerprints done! We were determined to complete the process and shift our focus to expectant parent opportunities.
Lights, Camera, Action!
We went the extra mile and hired a professional media company to assist us in making a video for our profile. They sent us a camera along with step-by-step instructions. We filmed ourselves for a few weeks, sent back over five hours of footage, and the result was a beautiful three-minute video. We felt more confident going that route, and it was worth it! When we first spoke with Walker’s birthmom, she expressed a connection to us from the video.
Our relationship blossomed over the course of a few months. Shortly after we started texting, she shared ultrasound photos after an appointment, and that made things feel real. We felt an immediate adoration toward her, and our communication was organic. The foundation was laid, and we looked forward to building on that.
Together at Last
She had a scheduled induction date, so we traveled to her a few days before and spent time with her and her family. We got to meet her parents and her other children. It felt amazing to physically be with each other after so much virtual contact.
We drove her to the hospital for the induction and stayed by her side through the delivery. It’s impossible to describe the feeling of watching your baby come into the world. His cry was the sweetest sound we ever heard. When the nurses took him for his initial vitals, he grabbed Andrew’s finger. It was an emotional and awesome experience, but watching her say goodbye to him in the hospital put a lot of things into perspective.
Vulnerability
We maintain a semi-open adoption with Walker’s birthmother. We frequently communicate, share photos, and do a monthly FaceTime with each other. We love his birthmother for the love she has for her son. She put his needs before her own and made the bravest decision.
You have to give yourself fully to situations with so many unknowns. If you don’t, you’ll miss out. We feel lucky to have had a smooth process overall, besides the intermittent confusion and the roller coaster of emotions, which are inevitable. Our commitment to the experience and the support from our adoption professionals carried us through to the best thing that’s ever happened to us: our son.