What led you to adoption?
While we had looked into other avenues, we felt that adoption was for us. We had a loving household we knew would be perfect for a child and wanted to provide a good option for a birthmother.
Why did you choose to work with LifeLong Adoptions?
We had visited with other families who had adopted through other agencies. While their experience was good, it was both timely and costly. We found out about LifeLong online. As we began asking others, we found that LifeLong had a great reputation for success.
Once we interviewed with LifeLong we knew we were at home. The process was more affordable than other options we had looked into and we felt comfortable with the idea of working with a company that centered on helping those within the LGBTQ community form their families.
What were you most excited about?
Obviously it was the prospect of forming our family. We had so much love to give and could not wait to share that love with a little one we could call our own.
How did your friends and family react to your decision to adopt?
Both of our families were excited about the prospect of an addition to the family. They walked with us throughout the process. They were at our door when we arrived home with Ian.
Did you choose an open or closed adoption? How did you make that decision?
Our preference was a closed or semi-open adoption. We connected with our birthmother and came to an agreement to share photos for the first few years. We currently share a few photos of Ian with his birthmother once a month. Ian has three older siblings. We even got to meet his half brother at his birth.
Describe receiving the call that your baby was being born and traveling to meet him.
Our birthmother had a planned C-section. She invited us to be there at the birth. While we did not meet our birthmother outside of exchanging texts and photos before the birth, we were able to sit with the birthmother and her son before she went in for delivery. The whole event was wonderful. When the nurses and doctors would ask questions about the baby, she always referred the questions to us.
Describe the experience of finally meeting your baby.
There is no way to describe the joy we had the moment we met Ian. Ian had complications at first. When they brought him to the room, the nurse greeted us with “Dads! Who wants to guess the sex?” She quickly told us it was a little boy. It was a little while before we could hold Ian due to his complications, but they were quickly resolved and we were soon loving on our little guy and giving him his first feeding.
What is your relationship like with the birthmother?
We still keep up with our birthmother. We currently have a private Facebook page that only she can view. It is here that we can post photos for her. By using Facebook it gives her the opportunity to hide us from her newsfeed, but she can go visit the page whenever she wants to see the photos.
What were the biggest challenges of the adoption process?
Waiting! Every day you are wishing for that call that you have been chosen by a birthmother.
Would you adopt again? Why or why not?
Absolutely! The joy we get to experience through Ian every day is a reward in itself. It seems like every day Ian is learning something new. It’s amazing to experience his journey.