Not knowing what to do, she stood in her room speechless and blank while the fear of the future kept taking over her. Gina was only 19 years old when she held in her hands a positive pregnancy test. The fear of being abandoned by her family, having to give away her baby, or giving the baby a miserable life- a lot was going on in her mind. Although she did not know much about adoption, it was the only option that made sense.
The pregnancy was smooth, and she found it surprising that signing a piece of paper for adoption meant she was bound to give her daughter away after giving birth in 2000. She got to spend four days with her beautiful baby girl and took her time observing all her tiny details that she would cherish forever and then, her perfect, the most beautiful baby she had ever seen was taken away.
Despite being in her teenage years and hoping that things would be fine soon, even after over a decade, she found her heart uneasy thinking about her first baby. The grief took over her on most days, and to feel better, she was now going to embark on a new journey. A non-profit business that would deliver gift baskets and letters to comfort mothers.
She married and had children all these years; however, the emptiness remained constant no matter what she did. The days she spent with her daughter felt like a lifetime. The moments were the kind that could never be gotten over.
The adoption Gina went for was semi-open, which meant that she received pictures and letters yearly to know that her baby was always safe and thriving. Gina also wanted her daughter to know about her achievements and the kind of woman her biological mother is. She also always silently wished to meet her again one day, and God heard her prayers!
While Gina was at her daughter Evie’s dress rehearsal at the mom’s, Gina’s eyes landed on her baby’s adoptive body, and it was a dream come true. Her beautiful girl, all grown up, was right in front of her, wearing a BYU shirt.
It took her 17 years to get reunited with the love of her life and hold her again. It felt like embracing motherhood once again, as her daughter’s presence felt just the same as when Gina had her for the first time, and her fragrance was still the same. She felt whole again and was now in touch. The conversations were regular, and the bond slowly progressed beautifully.
As Thanksgiving approached, Gina’s firstborn told her she wanted to meet the entire family, and she was home two days before Thanksgiving. The entire family wholeheartedly welcomed her, and Gina couldn’t help but get all teary and overwhelmed when she saw her other children bonding with her long-gone firstborn. Although Gina isn’t aware of the future, what matters to her is the peace that comes with her baby’s presence. Nothing could make her feel whole!
