As humans we’re accustomed to having expectations. We expect drivers to stay in their lane. We expect stores to stay open until they say they are going to.

We like to plan…to not feel surprised. Unfortunately things don’t always go according to how we anticipate. How do we deal with these things? How do we deal with the consequences that come with situations not turning out the way we predicted? When it comes to adoption stories, we want to foresee the outcome, but the reality is, there is no way to know fully how they will actually turn out.

Meet Abby - our next contributor to Being a Birth Mom! We met Abby this summer at a conference in Dallas, TX.

After meeting Abby, there are two things we know for sure - she is a proud birth mom and loves her son with all of her heart! Abby's smile is contagious and she's got some invaluable insight to share. Without further ado, here’s Abby...

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how I respond to people when they find out that I’m a birth mother. It’s interesting to think about my natural response because it tells me a lot about myself.

The idea of birth parent seems so weird sometimes. It can make me feel like an alien species that none of the “normal” population can understand.

I just have to say this out loud....

You can't read an adoption story without a then and now. The world sees an event where the adoption community knows evolution.

My journey is seventeen years long and counting. Seventeen years was a long time ago. Much has happened. Much. But what happened seventeen years ago has rippled through my life, even into this post that you are reading...

BraveLove is excited to announce the start of something NEW!

We are launching a birth mom editorial column called Being a Birth Mom - a special space for birth moms from across the country to share their unique perspective. This is not intended to feature specific adoption stories, but rather a place to gain insight into the world of what it's like to be a birth mom. 

Meet Michelle - our very first contributor! Before hearing more from her, we thought you might like to get acquainted and learn a little bit more about her story!