"Most people generally know me as a hard working single mother with one son. Most people don't know I have two." - Jamie #BraveLove

A letter leads a birth mother and daughter to their reunion after 40 years. Meet Lesli, who is a birth mother and is getting ready to meet her daughter Shannon for the first time today since giving birth nearly 40 years ago. We invite you to enter in to their reunion story, before they meet...

I told my mom that I needed to know my child. I couldn’t wonder every time a little boy walked by me if he was my birth child. My mom told me about open adoption and I knew in my heart that was what I wanted for my child. I now know how beautiful open adoption can be.

I wanted to give my birth son the best life and family I would want him to have.

As the days passed and my time to deliver grew near, I thought frequently about this woman who would raise and love my baby. I thought more about her than I did about the baby. Of course, I did normal pregnant woman things – I nested, I patted my big belly, I picked out a name – but I also wondered about Helen. Was she also picking out names? Was she preparing a room in hopeful anticipation or was she terrified it would fall through yet again? I wanted to help her as much as I wanted to help myself with this process.

"She also knows that her birth family loves her just as much and that she wasn’t unwanted, that she wasn’t a mistake." #BraveLove

I knew from the moment I made my decision to place my child for adoption that it would have to be an open arrangement because I would want to be involved in my child’s life.

I have a 2-year-old who I parent. Her father along with the father of my second child played a big part in why I chose adoption.

As reflected perfectly in the symbol for the adoption triad, adoption consists of three parties coming together from opposite angles to meet at the intersection of a unique kind of love.

"I also played a part in completing a family that could not have done it without me." #BraveLove