Emma

I promised funny, but my inspiration isn’t coming from that place right now. Sorry guys.

About a year ago a coworker of mine told me that his 16 year old daughter was pregnant. At the time, I was also pregnant with Ryder and I felt this amazing connection to him and his family.

We’ll call her Emma.

Over the 9 months of my own pregnancy I was given so many gifts of used baby items, too many even for me, so periodically I would bring some of it into work for him to give to Emma. Pay it forward is how I felt. Little did I know this would be the beginning of a special relationship.

At 16, being pregnant is a scary thing. Emma was up and down in her relationship to the father, and in the end they broke up. She was struggling with her decision on how to raise the baby as a teen mom, and finally decided at 9 months pregnant to give the baby up for adoption. It wasn’t an easy decision by any means, but her time was limited, and quickly she contacted an agency of sorts through her church and chose the family that would raise her son.

I cried when I found out. Some, because I had a 3 month old son, but also because my heart broke for this 16 year old girl who had grown to love this little guy in her belly, but knew she wasn’t fit to give him the best possibly life that he deserved. I also cried for the adoptive family, a family that couldn’t have children of their own, but longed for the pitter patter of little feet.

Adoption is an amazing gift. Something rare; something that isn’t always given but should be. I think that it is the most unselfish act that can ever be performed by a living human being… an act, that while so difficult to do, and so difficult to live with, changes lives so positively.

This particular adoption is open. Meaning that the adoptive family will always keep in touch and send pictures, and Emma and her family can visit and be apart of this little boy’s life. Only a few weeks ago Emma was asked to speak at a conference about adoption. There, she held her 7 week old baby boy and smiled at the crowd, behind her a quilt hand made by the adoptive family who smiled back.

My coworker and I bonded over this…and today I can call him a friend. Just yesterday he and Emma added me to Facebook and she left me the most amazing message on my Wall:

“Thank you soooooo much! I have never met you, but I look up to you”

I am so humbled by this amazing 17 year old girl. I look up to HER.