Visit with Momma Sarrina

We were lucky enough to meet with some of Jax's birth family yesterday! Momma Sarrina, brother Austin and Sister Sarah all came. We were all together for about 2 or so hours and it was simply wonderful. You can tell that Jax has a special bond with them. He would constantly find Mommy Sarrina in the room and just grin at her. Both Shaileen and I were worried that Jax was going to be grumpy because he did not get much of a nap throughout the day because we were busy running around all day. He was great though and was as happy as can be throughout most of the visit.

I have to say how thankful we are for Jax's birth family. They have absolutely no idea how much they mean to us with the gift they gave us to parent Jax. We are forever indebted to them. We believe that adoption is such a wonderful thing because that means more people to love on Jax. Jax will always know his birth family and have a relationship with them as long as they are willing. Just like LDS Family Services motto says. ADOPTION: ITS ABOUT LOVE!

 Brother Austin with Jax

Sarah with Jax

Our story and views on open adoption

We knew from early in our marriage that adoption was most likely going to be the way that we were going to build our family. We have family that has adopted their children. They have an open adoption with their birth families that is healthy. To begin with we used to look at open adoption as a weird thing and not sure if we could do it ourselves. This all changed one day when we had our adoption classes to get fully approved to adopt. We were anxious to go to these classes to learn and meet people in the adoption community. We did both of those things but more than that we had our eyes opened wide to the adoption process, especially about open adoption. Our favorite parts were the panels of people that would come talk to us. There was a birth parent, adoptee, adoptive parent and also a special needs adoptive parent panel. We did not expect it but we walked out of those classes in tears because of how much we learned but I think it was the spirit that touched us as well. We learned of how much love parents have on both sides of the adoption for their child. There is a huge misconception that birth familes place their children for adoption and never think or want to do anything with them again. This is further from the truth from the panels we had listened to. Shaileen and I certainly have love for the birth families as well. We have talked and we consider when we adopt that they are equally a part of our families as our immediate family. We believe it is healthy for a child to know where they came from as well. In our family they will know of their birth family and know that they love them. I could write all day long on open adoption but I will cut it short today because I should probably work. Like always, I want and need to thank everyone for their continued support through everything we have gone through in our lives.