The Story of Brighten Storie

Me, T (birth mom), Jessica and brand new Brighten

I have been trying to write this down since September, but haven't quite been able to find the words.

Now that Mother's Day is upon us again, the time seems right to tell this awesome God orchestrated story.....at least my side of it.

Last Summer I was contacted by Jojo's birth mother. She was expecting a baby and she didn't feel like she was in a good place to parent this child. Jojo would have a full biological sibling very soon.

I can't quite express the range of emotions that I went through when I heard that news! If I'm being totally honest, I actually toyed with the idea of adopting the new baby although I was not prepared to "start over" again so to speak. But gracious this would be Jojo's SIBLING.

I prayed a lot and God made the answer crystal clear. Biology doesn't make family, love does.

With so many families waiting to adopt a baby, I knew helping Jojo's mom find the perfect family for his sister was the right thing to do.

I thought this part would be easy. I attend a really big church and I feel like the families who don't have adoption as part of their story are in the minority! I truly thought that I would toss the info out there to a handful of people and BAM the obvious perfect family that had been right under my nose the whole time would appear. But God....

The baby was due in September....and it was August! So I was tasked with finding a Christ following family that was already paperwork ready to adopt, who lived near me (so Jojo and baby could know each other as they grow up), who was willing and able to up and go to Texas when it was baby time AND stay there for at least 2 weeks. And that was all the easy stuff. It also had to be a family who was wiling to "roll with" the craziness of this particular adoption situation.

Most adoptions take place through an agency and those are the people who walk you through all the paperwork, all the uncertainties, travel plans...everything. Well we didn't have time for all that, plus it would make the adoption significantly more expensive for the family that God chose to parent this baby. So it had to be a family who could find a way to TRUST GOD big time, and in a way to trust me as well.

And of course, God provided just that.

I had a handful of God fearing women who walked with me through these weeks, and I will be forever grateful to them. Because of them, I found my way to Jason and Jessica. We spoke on the phone about the craziness of the situation and they didn't seem too terrified, so we decided to meet for dinner a few days later. I knew after talking to them for a short time over Thai food that they were the ones. And the rest is history {which Brighten's mom has documented beautifully with tons of pictures in the posts below! When she refers to"C" that is me ;-)}


Brighten's Storie: Part One
Brighten's Storie: Part Two
Brighten's Storie: Part Three
Brighten's Storie: Part Four

So, this Mother's Day I feel compelled to tell our birth mom again how much we appreciate her. I can't imagine life without Jojo, and I can't imagine not being Brighten's "Auntie Grandma". You made the most selfless sacrifice not once, but twice, and we are forever changed because of your choice.

This is the letter I wrote to "T" three years ago for Mother's Day:

Dear Birth Mom: Happy Mother's Day

I just love the way God knits families together don't you?

Brighten on left. Jojo on right.

Brighten and Jojo meet.

 

Me, T and Jojo