On a cold January day, a teenage girl sat down in her parents’ living room. She is terrified and is about to tell them a secret she has held within herself for seven months–a secret she can no longer bear alone. This is the story of “Christy”, a teenage girl who came to Adoption Associates looking for teen pregnancy help.
“Mom, Dad,” Christy said, “let me say all I need to say before you say anything. I don’t know how to tell you this without hurting you, but you need to know. I’m seven months pregnant.” At that moment she had never felt so alone in her entire life. “How could you let this happen?” was the first thing her mother said. All she could say to her was, “Mama, I was raped.” Then she started sobbing.
When I was 17 years old I was sexually assaulted, and, as a result, became pregnant. For seven months I didn’t know what to do. I knew I was too young to have a baby and raise it. And, I knew that I was not financially or emotionally stable enough to raise a baby. I couldn’t stand the thought of an abortion. It was
my older sister, Mary, who helped me find an answer. She did some research on adoption and brought me to Adoption Associates to talk with a caseworker. It was the answer to my prayers.
My caseworker, Shelly, was an absolute miracle. She explained all of the details about the adoption process, which made me feel both relieved and very comfortable. Whenever I needed Shelly, she was always there. I also went for counseling and teen pregnancy help at a Women’s Center. That was also a great support for me.
The hardest part of it all was my family, but as time went by, things got a little easier around the house. It helped when I received the profiles of several different couples. We made it a family time together to look through them, although the decision was ultimately mine to make. I had gone through many profiles before I got to the one that sort of struck me. The couple just seemed to stand out to me. I was sitting in the living room looking through the profile when Terri and Jerry stared me in the face. At that moment I knew that this was the couple who was going to raise my child as their own. I decided to call Shelly in the morning to set up a meeting time. However, the next morning, something amazing happened. I went into labor.
My family drove me to the hospital. It was there that I had a chance to talk to Shelly. She talked with me, and walked laps with me around the hospital floor. She had a very calming affect on me in a situation that was anything but calming. I asked her to call Terri and Jerry to tell them I had chosen them, and that they were about to be proud parents. I don’t know what I would have done without Shelly to provide adoption help.
At 9:43 PM on March 4, my son was born. He was a healthy baby boy at 8 pounds, 2 ounces and 20 inches. It was the happiest day of my life. The second happiest time came when Terri and Jerry arrived. When I saw the look of pure and utter happiness as they held my son, I knew that God had taken me in the right direction. I had named my son after my father, David James. Terri and Jerry named him Ethan Chase. I didn’t have any problem with the name they gave him. In fact, I enthusiastically approved. Ethan Chase means “strong hunter”, and that certainly fit our baby boy.
It is now two years later, and all of us are doing well. Terri and Jerry send me pictures of Ethan all the time, so I still get to see him grow up. Currently I am living out of state, holding a position as an advertising supervisor of a marketing agency. The memory of needing teen pregnancy help still seems like yesterday. I hope my story has eased some of your pain or even answered some of your questions.
Every situation is somewhat different, but I would like to say this: It’s harder when you think you’re alone, with no one to turn to. You probably even want to give up sometimes. You would do anything for just a friend who has been there. Someone who can help you decide what to do, or just lend a shoulder to lean on. Don’t give up hope. You’re never alone. Adoption Associates can help. And remember, there is a life after this situation. Every time I look at pictures of my son, I know it’s a good life.
If you need teen pregnancy help and would like to talk with one of our caseworkers, please call us toll-free at 800-677-2367 , text us at 248-919-8094, or send us a message and we’ll call you.