The 12 Days of Adoption Gratitude: Day 12 – My Option of Adoption

“Develop an attitude of gratitude, and give thanks for everything that happens to you, knowing that every step forward is a step toward achieving something bigger and better than your current situation.” – Brian Tracy

Gratitude is an attitude towards yourself and others around you. It is about appreciating whatever you are going through and having hope through the experience. No matter how bleak a situation may seem, gratitude in the situation will help you see a light at the end of the tunnel.

As a woman who chose adoption, I know how important the attitude of gratitude is, especially around the holidays. A lot of people suffer from depression through the holidays, especially around Christmastime. Defeating depression with an attitude of gratitude is a great coping tool that holds long-term benefits. On Day 12 of Adoption Gratitude, I am grateful for the fact that I had the option of adoption when my situation looked hopeless.

The Option of Adoption

Adoption is an option for any woman who has already given birth or who is experiencing an unplanned pregnancy. There are so many different situations that a woman may find herself in when it comes to an unexpected pregnancy. There is the young mother, the single mother, the mother who already has children, etc. Whatever your situation is, know that adoption is an option. All throughout the U.S., there are local and national adoption agencies who are there to guide an expectant mother through an adoption process. Putting a child up for adoption is a great way to honor the life of a child, make a sacrifice out of love, and still have some sort of relationship with that child.

My Experience in the Option of Adoption

As a young and single mother for six months, I felt hopeless. I had all the emotions that come along with an unplanned pregnancy, including grief, fear, and confusion. I didn’t know what to do about my situation. I barely knew the birth father, had very little support, and was young and still in college. I knew that raising a baby was going to be challenging, but I honestly believed keeping my baby was the right decision. While I had the thought of adoption come into my mind here and there along the way, I didn’t take the thought seriously until my son was five months old. I finally hit a point in my frustration and depression that I called out to God for help. It was then that I realized: The right option for me was to place my baby up for adoption. It was then that a sense of peace came upon me.

Why I’m Grateful for the Option of Adoption

I am grateful for the option of adoption because of the opportunities that it has blessed myself and my child with. Knowing that adoption was an option kept me going and pushing myself to do better and be better. I knew that if I couldn’t handle raising a baby at the point I was in at the time in my life, there was another way. I didn’t have to make a decision that I would later regret when I was scared and pregnant. I had the choice to give my child a better life through different parents. In return, I was given a new life for myself. Knowing that the option of adoption exists can bring great comfort to a woman experiencing all the emotions that come with an unplanned or unwanted pregnancy. I’m ever so grateful that I knew adoption was an option. I wasn’t trapped in the situation that I was in. There is always a way to make it better. If you are facing an unplanned pregnancy, please be encouraged in knowing that adoption is an option.

Helpful Information About the Option of Adoption

It’s not enough to just know that adoption is an option; it takes gathering information and understanding this choice to help a woman facing an unplanned pregnancy to make an adoption decision.

Defining adoption may seem simple, but its definition for each individual birth mother is based on her experience with it. There is a lot of information that exists regarding adoption, but at first, it is best to gain a basic understanding of the adoption process. It is also important to know that after placement has occurred, there will be a healing journey that a birth mother will go through. Be encouraged that while the option of adoption can bring negative feelings associated with grief, it can also be incredibly rewarding in the long-run.

The option of adoption is a beautiful unplanned pregnancy alternative. Not only does it give a woman facing an unexpected pregnancy a second chance at life, but it also is one of the greatest gifts a mother can give a child: a better life through different parents. If you are a woman facing an unplanned pregnancy and you find yourself considering adoption, please reach out for guidance by contacting an adoption professional. An adoption specialist can provide you with resources and support while you are considering an adoption decision. Be grateful for the option of adoption, for it is a choice that, when it’s right, can bring great peace and joy.

This is the first post in a 12-part series on gratitude in adoption. Stay tuned for more.

~Lindsay Arielle

Lindsay is a guest blogger for Considering Adoption. She placed her son for adoption seven years ago and hopes to use her experience to support and educate other expectant mothers considering adoption, as well as adoptive families.