I am Lisa from California

Dear Expectant Mother,

It’s so hard to say what I want to say without falling into clichés, yet they all seem so fitting.  Of course, I could never imagine what you’re going through as you contemplate this choice. I can only try to think of times in my life where I’ve been faced with life-altering decisions.  Fear, uncertainty, anxiety.  I’ve felt those emotions swirling as I contemplated the gravity of a decision.  I can only hope that it brings you some comfort as you go through this difficult time knowing that if your decision is to choose me to raise your child, your choice will lead to joy for so many people. I hope you can close your eyes and imagine the love your child will be showered with and the happiness that so many people will feel to receive this incredible gift that you are creating. 

When I think about adopting, I am filled with a profound sense of wonder.  The universe has an amazing way of putting broken pieces together, creating a mosaic even more beautiful than if things had never broken in the first place.  I have always been drawn to the beauty of mosaics, even when I was young and hadn’t yet experienced the first big breaks in my world.  But every setback and heartbreak that I’ve experienced has allowed me to grow and learn and build the beautiful mosaic of my life.  Although my life is by no means perfect, it is filled with laughter and happiness and I cannot wait to share that with another child.  I look forward to family vacations and neighborhood barbecues and trips to the beach and learning to swim and reading stories and singing songs and all of the amazing and wonderful things life has for us.

I will be a single mom and I hope that does not scare you.  While I do hope to find a partner in life one day, I will never again sacrifice myself for a relationship. Having been through a difficult marriage and a painful divorce, I feel more confident in myself than I ever did when I was younger.  I feel totally capable of being both mother and father to a child, and I am lucky to have many supportive friends and family members so I will not be truly on my own and neither will your child.  I have reached a point in my life where I have an abundance of everything except children, and I look forward to sharing my life and my heart with your baby.

So I will end with one more cliché (so trite, but so true): trust your gut.  All of the mistakes I’ve made in my life were when I’ve ignored my gut instinct.  The gut is the perfect blend of your heart and your head.  Trust yourself to know the right path for you and your baby.  And if your gut leads you to choose me to raise your child, I hope you will find peace knowing that you’ve created a precious new addition to the mosaic of my life.  You have my utmost respect as you go through this process.

Thank you for considering me.  I am truly humbled when I think of what an honor it would be to love and raise your child.