Jessy's Adoption Story Part 5

Jessy with Lisa Dodd - the first baseman from UCLA at the time - Jessy's team made it to the State Championships. They placed 3rd. The funny thing about this story is only Robert would recognize this girl walking around and know she was UCLA's first baseman. I went up to her and met her and asked if she would meet our team. She signed all their helmets and shirts - took pictures with all of them. It was really fun!

I'm posting this in parts because it's long and it takes a while to write it... here is the next part:

Part 5:

Tim showed up right after that and we all had a big laugh about us not knowing the man was Leanne’s dad! We went in and sat around a big table and we talked…and talked and talked. L should probably tell her side of this story – maybe she will write it someday…you will only hear our side for now. Tim was perfect at leading the conversation. He asked questions of both sides (her and her family/Robert and I). It all flowed smoothly. I remember one thing very vividly. When asked why she chose us, she replied with the following: I like your dog (Tim was right!), I like your last name, but most importantly I like that you seem to not be Sunday Christians but really live it in your lives (isn’t God good??? All our worry about the letter sounded like and it was why she chose us!!) God directs in funny ways – the dog and the last name cracked me up! But as I thought about it, I could see why a 15 year old would say that!! I like my last name too! We laughed and talked and seemed to really hit it off. I noticed she had extremely curly hair and wondered if she thought I did from my 80’s permed hairstyle!!! I have stick straight hair with NO curl whatsoever! A perm did wonders for me. We talked a lot to her and her parents – we all asked questions and got to know each other. Tim was amazing is all I can say. There were no awkward moments and it all seemed to flow. L’s parents were so in support of the adoption – it was amazing the support she had from them and her sisters and even continues to have. They were so encouraging about the adoption – made us feel special from the beginning. They both told us there was no other decision that all of them immediately knew Jessica would be adopted. I can’t explain how amazing it was to just have God’s peace – we were not afraid at all. This had God’s hand all over it!

L was incredible. We knew she loved her baby with all her heart – that she was doing the most selfless and brave thing in the world. We knew it was a huge decision that would take God’s strength and grace to do what she thought best for her child. She wanted the baby to have a Daddy and a normal home like she had – not a divided home and she wanted a mom who stayed home like her mom did.

I get very defensive for birthmom’s when people ask how they can do what they do – how can they “give their babies away” – as if they don’t love the baby – in reality it takes astonishing, selfless love for a mom to put her baby into someone else’s care, trusting the Lord that it is the right decision for her and her baby. It is incredibly self-sacrificing because it is choosing what they believe is best for the child over what they might feel. I’m not saying this has to be everyone’s choice (all circumstances are different and unique) – I just don’t like the question, “how can they do it?” as if they don’t love their baby and are just giving them away. They love them so much that it enables them to go through with it - which is only by God’s grace and divine plan.

She told us she would call.