5 Ways I Felt the Moment We Were Matched

Becoming a parent is one of life’s happiest occasions, no matter how that child comes to you. I’ve been lucky enough to experience welcoming four babies into our family, and each time, I’ve felt an unexplainable sense of joy and happiness with welcoming them into this world.

I was sad that an adoption plan had to be made in the first place; I was sad that my happiness would come at the expense of the immense amount of grief by my child’s birth family. I was sad knowing I’d need to tell my child’s birth family goodbye.

For adoptive parents who have spent time waiting to be matched, there is an incredible amount of relief when that phone call comes to announce your waiting is over. For me, it felt like our lives were no longer on hold, and that we could finally make plans because we had clarity on moving on, moving forward.

I’d be lying if I didn’t tell you I was nervous about becoming a mom. I was worried about bonding with my daughter. I was anxious about whether her birth parents would change their minds. And I was nervous about how to navigate the complexities that come with having a transracial family.

What about you? How did you feel when you were matched? Were you surprised by any of those feelings?