How My “Brand” of 20 THINGS Developed

“I was adopted at ten days of age for the cost of $55.98! My parents loved me, but my Dad was abusive and Mom, neglectful. At age 20, I was married to the love of my life and we had two daughters. When I anticipated their birth, I began thinking about my birth mother for the first time ever. My parents told me about her when I was very young, but I couldn’t absorb the information. They were ahead of their time in that regard.”

Adoption in Light of Ephesians 1:3-6

“Though it took me a long time, once God saved me, I was able to look at my parents and my adoption with new eyes. They are the ones who raised me, loved me, and took care of me all those years, so I have gratitude to them and to God. God has done the same thing for us, in “choosing us in Him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us for adoption to Himself as sons.””

Love and Acceptance

“Feeling loved is something that I have always wanted to feel in life. Growing up, I was told that I never smiled. I wasn’t happy. On the outside I seemed normal. I smiled when I felt like it, but on the inside I often fought back tears and struggled with the pain that I felt. I was different and I knew it. I didn’t have the same life story as all of my friends and family members, and I always wanted to be with my birth mom. I knew that I had two families. I knew them and I knew where they were and how to contact them. I felt abandoned and rejected by them. The people who should have loved me the most weren’t there.”

My Adoption Journey: From reunions, to struggles, to gaining a new best friend

“The day I met my birthmother in person was completely surreal. We already established a connection from many emails we exchanged before picking a date and location to meet. I was so nervous I thought I would throw-up, which was completely out of character. I think my nerves kept me from bawling when we first saw each-other and hugged.”