Rheanna & Brad

She’s a Big Sister

When our daughter was born, she was born prematurely and spent time in the NICU. The experience was hard on our family. When the doctors told us it wasn’t a good idea for us to have another biological baby, we were disappointed, but we soon decided we could expand our family through domestic adoption.

When we researched partners to help us on our adoption journey, we found Angel. We knew someone who had a good experience adopting from Angel and were optimistic we would also be able to succeed. We were nervous and excited to begin our journey. Our family and friends were very supportive. They wanted us to complete our family and give our daughter a sibling.

The entire adoption process took nine months. We were connected to Max’s birthmother one month before she delivered. Before she picked us, we had a ten-minute phone call. Then, after she decided we were the ones, we texted with her daily until Max was born. We had a good connection with her.

When Max’s birthmother texted us to tell us she was in labor, we immediately caught the next flight out. Her labor was fast, and we arrived five hours after she delivered. When we arrived, we expected hospital staff and everyone to help us navigate this day. This was our first adoption, and we were as concerned with the feelings of the birthmother.

However, the hospital that she delivered at didn’t have a lot of adoptions. The nurses and the staff didn’t really know how to help us handle the nuances of the day. At times, we wished they would help us communicate with the birthmother so that the experience was easier on everyone.

In the end, Max stayed with the birthmother for the first 24 hours. After 24 hours, his birthmother left, and we stayed with him. The highlight was taking Max home and being met at the airport by our daughter, close friends, and family.

When we came off the escalator, our daughter saw her sibling for the first time, and she just lit up. We hadn’t told her about Max’s adoption for fear of disappointing her. When she saw her brother she realized she was a big sister right then and there. We all almost cried at that moment. As a family, each of us knew we were complete.

We are truly grateful for this perfect adoption experience. As anxious as we were, we trusted the process. Even though there were days when we wished the laws weren’t complicated and the process was simpler, we knew it was all worth it.

Through it all, we’ve built a strong family. Our daughter has the sibling she’s always wanted and loves being a big sister. We all know that no matter what the future holds, we’ve been beyond blessed.