From the time she was a small child, Lauren remembers knowing she was adopted. She didn’t think of it often, and it didn’t make her feel any different than friends and others around her. She did wonder occasionally what her birth mother looked like or if perhaps they shared common features.

Lauren had the opportunity to meet her birth mother when she was 18 and found that they did share a few specific physical traits! Lauren grew up in a fantastic family and thanked her birth mother for choosing adoption for her. Born when her birth mother was just 18, Lauren knew that her life could have been drastically different. At age 18, her birth mother had goals for Lauren’s future, which influenced her choice to place Lauren for adoption. Because of adoption, Lauren was loved, disciplined, and encouraged by great parents.

Lauren and her birth mother may share a few physical characteristics, but the woman she most resembles is her mother. Lauren recognizes that the choices of her birth mother made this possible, and she is very grateful. Of her birth mother, Lauren remarks, “She chose to give me the greatest gift of my entire life: my family. And I’ll never know how to thank her enough for choosing adoption for me.”

Read more about Lauren and take a look at some great photos of her at iChooseAdoption.org