Every parent wonders what the future holds for their children. You hope they will make good choices, find happiness, and, more than anything, want to have a relationship with their parents, both biological and adoptive. How you set up your adoption plan at the beginning can affect how an adult adoptee views both sets of parents. It’s critical to remember adoption is never a one-time event. It’s a lifetime adventure. Every adoption is as unique as the people involved. Here are a few tips that may help you get a glimpse into your future. Growing Up Like children growing up in their biological families, adoptees are affected by their home life, family dynamics, neighborhoods, schools, and friends. But there is one crucial difference. An adoptee has a part of their lives that is entirely unknown to them. If the birth and adoptive parents agree to have an open adoption, their child has more knowledge of their biological family. However, knowing and living day-to-day are two different things. With a semi-open adoption, an adoptee has even less information but can still have confidence in some knowledge of their biological family. Although sometimes necessary, a closed adoption plan leaves everyone in the dark. Of course, the ability to have a relationship with one another depends entirely on the willingness of everyone involved. Adoptive parents feel threatened and afraid birth parents may want their child back. Birth parents wonder what is said about them and if their child knows they love them. The adoptee ponders why they like cats when their adoptive parents are strictly dog people or why they have black hair when their parents have blonde. They may wonder if their biological families even think about them. The unknown is one of the most complicated aspects of adoption. How You Talk About Adoption Matters Because adoption is slowly creeping out of the shadows, birth parents, adoptive parents, and adoptees are more willing to talk about their experiences. With open and semi-open adoptions, children learn about their adoptions at a very early age. Many adoptees say they’ve known about their adoptions for as long as they can remember. It is imperative that adoptive parents speak respectfully of their child’s biological parents. Even if there were issues such as substance abuse, incarceration, or mental health problems, adoptive parents must never ridicule the biological parents. After all, they became parents because of the choice the birth parents made. Adoptive parents must make room for honest questions and open discussions as their child grows. Although parents may feel hesitant, there's comfort when a child knows they can ask anything. Growing Up as an Adoptee In their teen years, many adoptees struggle with feelings of rejection. They find it difficult to understand why their biological mothers would choose adoption. They may have feelings of guilt because they want to know more about their biological families. Some adoptees act out because the abandonment they feel is so deep. Others grow up feeling confident they have as much information as they need. Again, the adoption experience is as unique as each family. Adoptive parents must make room for a birth mother and father’s story in their child’s life. Whether the biological parents tell it in person or it’s conveyed through the adoptive parents, children need to know what it was like for their birth mother and father to choose adoption. Everyone longs to know who they are and where they came from. Adoptive parents should give their children as much information as they possibly can. Of course, as the child reaches adulthood, the relationship switches to what they are comfortable with. What Can Adoption Angels Offer? If you are an expectant mother considering adoption for your child, know that Adoption Angels provides free counseling throughout your adoption journey and beyond. Our qualified staff offers comfort and support 24/7 for as long as you need it. We provide adoption education, support, and guidance for potential adoptive parents throughout your journey. We work hard to provide the best care and knowledge to see you through the process. If you wish to explore adoption for your unplanned pregnancy or you are a couple hoping to adopt, contact Adoption Angels. Expectant mothers can reach us by filling out our confidential contact form . Prospective adoptive parents can begin the process here . You can both call or text us at (210) 227-2229. We look forward to talking with you.

We understand the hesitancy adoptive parents feel when it comes to having an open relationship with their child’s birth family. You are concerned the birth family will interfere, or your child will be confused by what a birth parent is vs. an adoptive parent. At Adoption Angels, we provide adoption education, support, and guidance for our adoptive families. Learn why we feel an open adoption plan is best for everyone. What Is Open Adoption? Due to technology and research, open adoption has evolved and become There are three basic adoption plans: open, semi-open, and closed. An open adoption means you and the birth parents exchange identifying information. You learn one another’s full names, addresses, phone numbers, or whatever information you agree to exchange. You can contact one another directly. Together, you decide whether phone calls, texts, emails, or personal visits are best. A semi-open adoption is also known as a mediated adoption. You learn one another’s first names and communicate through a third party, such as your Adoption Angels coordinator. All contact runs through us first, and we pass it on. A semi-open plan provides a little more privacy for everyone involved. With a closed adoption, you and the adoptive family won’t contact each other. All identifying information is kept confidential. What Benefits Do We Receive From an Open Adoption? Although it can be awkward at first, having a relationship with your child’s birth family is valuable. You can see first-hand why your child has particular likes or dislikes, looks like they do, or has certain personality traits. Once you are matched, you receive background and medical information from the birth parents, but a relationship opens the door to more information. Additional information about your child’s heritage or family history helps you understand them better. As your child grows, they will naturally begin asking questions as you share about their adoption. By having a relationship with their birth family, you are better prepared to provide answers. Ultimately, research suggests open adoption is better for your child, which makes it better for you. When a child has contact with their birth family, they gain a complete identity. They understand why they look different from everyone else or have particular likes and dislikes. It helps answer many questions because they experience how much the birth parents and adoptive parents love them. Being adopted is no longer what they are. It becomes a part of who they are. Working With Adoption Angels Whether you are a woman facing an unplanned pregnancy or a couple wanting to adopt, a member of our staff is happy to answer your questions. We’ve assisted birth mothers and potential adoptive parents for over 40 years. We thoroughly explain the pros and cons of having a relationship with their child’s birth family and help couples navigate that relationship. Every step is vital to a healthy adoption experience for you, your child, and their birth family. Please contact us if you have questions. Fill out our confidential online Contact Form , and we will email you an information packet with instructions to get you started on your adoption journey. We are grateful for your consideration and look forward to working with you. 

Hello & Thank You , My name is Kerstin, and I'm so grateful to you for considering me and my son Malakai as a possible match for you and your child. A single person might not have been your first thought for your child, but I have just as much support and love to give as a couple would have - or even more! My life is rich with family, friends, and opportunities. I have a successful career that provides my family with the resources to explore the world and experience new things. I would love the opportunity to share these wonderful experiences with your child. Malakai (Kai for short) was adopted at birth and is three years old. We have an open relationship with his birth mom and often send her pictures and videos. I am open and committed to whatever type of communication you would like. I want you to know that your child will always know their adoption story and the love you have for them. I am happy to answer any questions you have so that you can make the best decision for you and your baby. As you'll see in this profile, I have a deep love and appreciation for all different cultures, and I love to learn about people and places all over the world. Travel has been a big part of my life, and I also appreciate and value diversity close to home. We live on a street with families of many different backgrounds, and the schools and businesses in our neighborhood also reflect that diversity. I love languages and have studied Spanish and Haitian Creole. The public elementary school closest to our home is a dual immersion bilingual school (Spanish and English). I would love for Malakai and any future child I might have to attend this school because I highly value bilingual language skills and the opportunity to build relationships with classmates and teachers of many different backgrounds. I am committed to honoring and valuing your child's cultural background and ensuring that it is an important part of their daily lives. I pray often for you and your journey. I thank God for you and your decision to consider adoption. I pray for God to give you peace and comfort. Thank you for taking the time to learn more about me and Malakai and see if we might be a good match for you and your child. With Love, Kerstin

Hello & Thank You , First off, let's introduce ourselves. Our names are Amy, Hao, and our not so little man James Paul. We want you to know how grateful we are to you for looking at our book. Our goal is for you to get to know who we are in an honest and real way. Adoption has a complex variety of feelings for all parties involved, especially for you. We can't begin to understand the emotional and overwhelming circumstances you have had to face in making these difficult decisions. We want you to know we support you and think that what you are doing is selfless and generous beyond comprehension. From an early age, I knew carrying a child to full term would be highly unlikely. So, when we met, having children was a part of our early conversations. We always wanted a family and knew adoption was going to be how we would become parents. This led us to adopt our beautiful and sweet son, James. We have so much more love to share with another child, and James is waiting with open arms and a welcoming smile. Our upbringing has significantly shaped who we are today, including our parenting style and how we plan for our future. Both of our parents are still married, and observing their relationship through both happy and challenging times has taught us the importance of commitment in maintaining a long-lasting marriage. Our family includes no shortage of caring aunts, fun uncles, and many young cousins to grow up with. One thing you can be certain of is DOTING GRANDPARENTS!! We are blessed that we can go to anyone in our family for guidance, advice, and support. You could not ask for a more dedicated crew of family members. We promise to you that we will honor you in the way you deserve. We will share with you the progress of your wonderful and cherished child's life. You'll be part of their life story from their earliest days to the questions that arise with growing curiosity. Your role will always be respected, valued, and cherished. We hope that our book gives you insight into who we are as people and as a family. Our very different strengths will lead to us raising well-rounded children. Together, we will teach them the importance of acceptance and kindness to those around them while still allowing them to be independent and able to stand up for themselves. Hao and I share the greatest hope of raising our children and providing them with safety and security, all with an embarrassing amount of love and affection. Thank you for considering us; we could not do it without you. Sincerely, Hao & Amy

Hello & Thank You , First, we want to thank you so much for considering us to be the parents of your child and for taking the time to learn a little about our lives! We can't imagine what a difficult time this must be for you, though we don't know what you are feeling. However, we do know that we admire your courage and strength! We are Mike and Tiffany, a fun loving couple from Texas who have been together 10 years and married almost 9! We spent many years trying to conceive a baby on our own, and with no luck, we didn’t want to wait to grow our family any longer. We chose adoption rather than going through IVF and were blessed with our first son in 2022. The experience we have had with his adoption has been so wonderful, and we can’t wait to give him a brother or sister. We have always wanted a big family, as both of ours are relatively small, and we are so grateful for this adoption opportunity because, without it, we wouldn’t be able to have that. Tiffany is a stay-at-home mom currently and will continue to do so. She loves being able to be so involved with raising our children and growing a special bond from the beginning. Also, her parents and grandparents live next door to us, so they will always be surrounded by love and family. We promise to provide your child with a safe, loving home with fun adventures and a wonderful education. We will always be honest with them about where they came from, how much you love them, and how that love brought them to us! We will keep you and your child in our prayers, and no matter your decision, we wish you the best on this emotional journey. Love, Mike & Tiffany