Pauline's Story

The Pearce family of Chicago is always together happily. Pauline, her husband TJ, and their two young sons, Kendrick and Ari. Also in attendance for special get-togethers, or most days for that matter, is Maryellen Kandu, or “Mimi,” Kendrick’s birth mom.

When the Pearces adopted Kendrick, they went the route of open adoption, which generally consists of varying degrees of communication exchanges over the years. But after seeing Maryellen about once a month for the first year of Kendrick’s life, Pauline and Maryellen developed a friendship.

Panel: A First-Hand Look Into The Hearts & Minds of Moms Who Place for Adoption

(60-minute Workshop Panel) This is a very rare opportunity to hear directly from birth moms — why they chose adoption for their babies, what they expected and what was on their hearts at the time. Learn whether & how they stayed involved in the child's upbringing, how they got support & care after placement, and how they feel now looking back on their decision.

Linda's Story

Triple the Love! The Gift of Open Adoption

I am an adoptive mom and an open adoption pioneer. In 1993 when my husband and I decided to adopt a baby, we signed up with an agency that was practicing a new kind of adoption called Open Adoption. This is an arrangement in which the biological parents and the adoptive family know each other’s identities and choose to remain in contact after the adoption is finalized. This arrangement surprised us as we assumed that most adoptions were closed, sealed, and secret since that had been the prevailing practice for many years.

Laura's Story

From ‘Burden to Blessing.’

In the early years of college, my voice was stolen from me in a way I didn’t fully realize until later. Unable and unwilling to process the trauma in a healthy manner, I dove into my studies. As a musician, I hid in the practice room, preparing for multiple ensembles and voice lessons. I did my best to keep appearances. I was able to graduate with two degrees, cum laude in four years. Next up: grad school. As the practice & study routine that I’d become accustomed to was interrupted, the trauma of my past caught up to me. I started to experience flashbacks that affected my relationships and kept me up at night.

Ricky's Story

Of two things I am certain: 1) that my daughter loves me and 2) that I made the right choice. I am a birthfather and 24 years ago I chose to place my daughter, Belle, in open adoption.

When I think back about our pregnancy and Belle’s birth, it’s hard to pinpoint any singular moment in time when her birthmother and I decided that adoption was right for us. There was no “light-bulb” moment, no aligning of the stars. It’s complicated and it was hard for us and our families, but it was the right choice for Belle. I am 41 years old now and it still makes my heart race just think back about that time in my life.