"Devin, my consultant, was an important part of my journey. He was considerate of my feelings and was always there to help me along the way."
Melissa, Kansas
Melissa’s Story
As a cancer survivor, I did not think I would be able to have children, so I was led to adoption. When I told friends and family about my decision to adopt they were all incredibly supportive.
Of course, I was overwhelmed when I began my journey and did not necessarily do enough research. In 2019, I signed with a local agency and was under the impression I would be matched with an expectant mother within 18 months. However, the agency continued to accept new clients even when their number of placements plummeted. It was very discouraging and that was when I knew I had made the wrong decision.
At this point, I decided it was time for a change so I started contacting adoption consultants. I had spoken to a few consultants before, but I felt very comfortable with RG Adoption Consulting after my initial inquiry call. I felt especially drawn to RGAC because I was adopting as a single mom and knew they helped several single moms in the past.
Turns out I made a great decision after all! I was ready to hit the ground running because I had this renewed sense of hope and a ton of invaluable information and education from RG Adoption. Devin, my consultant, was an important part of my journey. He was considerate of my feelings and was always there to help me along the way. I was shocked to be matched so quickly because I kept on hearing how placements were down and the process was incredibly slow. I am so thankful for RGAC because I would not be holding my son today without them!
The larger RGAC community of families was amazing too! Although my schedule made it slightly challenging to attend all of the online events offered, the ones I have attended were very helpful. In fact, I plan on meeting up with another RG family in my area.
My adoption journey was not without frustrations and hardships. I was fortunate to sign on with as many agencies as I could. However, things were extremely slow and single women were not seeming to get selected by expectant moms. In those moments, it felt like I would never adopt. Until I saw my son’s case and felt drawn to apply. Never in a million years did I think I would be chosen.
I experienced many triumphs and unforgettable moments during my adoption journey. Meeting my son for the first time was surreal. I knew I would be excited, but I was not prepared for the amount of love I instantly had for him.
Meeting my son’s birth mother was another unforgettable moment. I was slightly nervous, but as soon as I saw her, my eyes filled with tears. We embraced and both cried. We then spent a few hours getting to know one another. We had the opportunity to meet on two different occasions while in Arizona, and we have exchanged numbers and are continuing to communicate.
One final piece of advice I would give myself if I was starting the adoption process all over again, would be to work with a consultant from day one instead of waiting so much working with one agency. Thankfully, this journey led to my son and I’ve truly found my happily ever after with him!