What an extraordinary ANGEL you are! That child is one of the luckiest children on the face of this earth. The love that you showed, in giving her up for adoption is (IMO) unexplainable. Can you imagine waiting 12 yrs for a child? Then, finally, a young kind soul, such as yourself, turns her unfortunate circumstance into one of the greatest gifts that anyone could ever give. I understand your tears, but I hope that they are tears of joy and contentment, knowing that you did the right thing by your child. As I get to know you better, my friend, not only am I PROUD to call you "My Friend" but I grow to love you more & more. You are such an amazing woman! Thank you for your friendship.

Bless your loving heart, my dear friend. I admire your strength and courage to do what you felt was best for your baby. You know your little girl went into the loving arms of parents yearning to love and raise a child. I am sure they are eternally grateful for the precious gift of life you entrusted in their care. You will always have my love and respect.

Thank you, Fysty and Piper, and everyone else that reads this and understands. I love you all.

Babbette, that was a beautiful, amazing, unselfish gift that you gave to those parents who waited twelve long years to adopt.

Babette-God bless you for the wonderful thing you did for that couple. 12 years is a very long time to wait for a child. You gave them such a wonderful, precious gift!

People would often stare, seeing a young girl so pregnant, but I held my head up as though I were sniffing pies in heaven.
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Babette, what a beautiful impressive story!

I was raised by my grandmother...and that's another story...but my bestest ever Christmas present was the one I spent with my father...I was a newly wed of 6 months...I had wanted all my life to see my father...my dad left my mom when she was 3mos PG and they were divorced after I was born...My mom knew friends of my dad and they kept her abreast of his life...as I got older and I was able to see my mom I would always ask about my dad...I'd ask my grandmother but she always skirted my questions...There were the ever present questions..."what do you want for your birthday, christmas, HS graduation (and last but not least )wedding present"...My reply was always...I want to see my dad...I want my dad to walk me down the aisle on my wedding day...Deaf ears...I knew I had a dad...mother had given me an old picture of him that I carried with me everywhere...so when the kids at school would taunt me and call me unspeakable names I would show them his picture...This hurt deeply...I remember the ache going down to my bones and stabbing me in the heart...Oh how I wanted to see my dad...I had even written a letter to President Truman, asking him to help me locate him...I knew he was in the Armed Forces...I knew his name...surely our President would help...I gave the letter to my grandmother to mail...I didn't find out until after she died that she never mailed it...I found it in her dresser drawer as I was helping sort her belongings...I had been crushed all those years...the ache was back...Any how, I got married without him...my uncle walked me down the aisle and was more than happy to "give me away"...My husband was a stringer reporter for the news paper and had worked the town that I knew my dad was from...I asked if he had access to that town's telephone book...he brought one home...I let my fingers do the walking and found several people with the same last name...I did an "eenie meenie mighty moe" and wrote a letter to the one I landed on...As it turned out , it was the 3rd wife of my paternal grand father...Several letters and eventually phone calls and I was actually talking with my father...Elation...I had sent him 2 pics...one of me as a toddler and one of me as an adult...I explained that I din't want to interrupt his life, I just wanted to know where he was...If he didn't want to see me he could return one of the pictures and I would understand...He explained the story to his family and they all agreed they wanted to meet me...We planned for Christmas week...My husband, knowing the importance of this agreed to let me go, despite the fact that it was Our First Christmas as husband and wife...I took the bus to my new found family's location, which was out of state...My oh my what crying, hugging, laughing...hysteria...in that bus station...Long ride to his home...questions, questions, questions...Glorious, fabulous, I can't describe the feelings...it is so overwhelming, even for me to recount the memories...We stayed up all night talking...trying to catch up on our separate lives and now having a new family life...I had a sister and brother and a stepmom...and last but not least a real live father...After 19 years of asking, wanting, searching...The search was over but the relationship was just beginning...Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus...And I do believe in miracles...Prayers are answered in their own time...Keep the faith...I will...

Oh, Estee, what a wonderful story. I dream of meeting my daughter. The records are sealed, but she could come looking for me. (I can't look for her) What a day that would be. I will keep praying.

"Where's that damned tissue box?"....tears rolling down cheeks!
What a beautiful happy ending for you Estee.

babbette wrote:On November 2nd, 1976 my daughter was born. I never got to hold her, or feed her or change her diaper. I never got to name her. I was 17 years old, unmarried. My boyfriend had moved on. I had just relocated four thousand miles from my home and decided after much agonizing that I would give my baby up for adoption. People would often stare, seeing a young girl so pregnant, but I held my head up as though I were sniffing pies in heaven. I was terrified, but I was sure of my decision. I wanted her to have everything that I was unable to give her. I wanted her to have two parents, a nice home, a stable environment. It was out of this love that I made the decision to surrender her. Many times people asked me "How can you give away your baby?" I felt like she was not a possession, but a wonderful gift. A gift I was so woefully unprepared for.

She was born after only two hours of labor, and I got to see her one time. She was all red and wrinkly and I thought her the most beautiful baby I had ever seen. Then, she was whisked away to the nursery and I wasn't allowed to see her again. Six weeks later, right before Christmas, I went to court and signed the adoption papers. She was adopted by a couple who had been on the waiting list for twelve long years. I was reassured that this was the right thing to do and happy in the knowledge that somewhere, someone got the best Christmas present ever.

I have a picture of her, taken when she was six weeks old. She has brown hair and blue eyes and she looks like me. Every year on November 2nd, I think about her and pray that she's had a good life. And I cry just a little.

Hi, babbette! That must have been the hardest decision you ever had to make in your life. Thank you for sharing with us. I've known from the first time I met you, that there was something very good & special about you. Once again, my instincts have been right. Always remember that you've made such a very big difference in the lives of 3 people. You are a very beautiful, loving & kind soul! I'm proud to be your friend. God Bless.

Babbette, your story just about broke my heart..... I truly cannot fathom the completely unselfish inner strength you must possess within you to be able to give your little girl the best life possible, and the couple that waited for so many years the greatest gift anyone could ever give.

I sincerely hope you have lived these years with peace in your heart knowing your little girl was so very loved and wanted by this couple. And I pray one day you will be blessed with knowing your daughter and seeing for yourself that you did what was right for her. But if that day never comes, please believe that you did the very best you could for her... even when that meant giving her up for adoption, knowing you might never see her again.

I, like so many others, am blessed to be able to call you my friend. I want you to know I will keep you and your daughter in my thoughts and prayers, especially tomorrow, November 2, on your daughter's 33rd birthday....

God bless you, Babbette.

Thank you, dear friends. It feels so good to know that you are beside me. I cherish all of you.

Babbette...what a loving and unselfish choice you made in surrendering your daughter to a couple who would give your daughter a home and two parents who wanted her and loved her, who waited those long fruitless years wishing that they could fill their empty arms and welcome a baby into their life. I do not know what this baby was told, some parents do not wish to "rock the boat" when it comes to telling a child that they were adopted. I feel that it should be a choice that the child be allowed to make upon reaching adulthood. How do we know the many reasons for choosing adoption? It isn't stated on a birth certificate. I feel in my heart that the majority of adopted children were surrendered by the birth mother out of love, an unselfish, wonderous, unforgettable love that was the best choice made for their babies. I admire you, and hope that the tears you have shed have eased the pain in your heart. You made a very difficult decision at that time in your life..I am sure that most of us, if we were in your shoes at that time, would have made the same heartbreaking choice. You have demonstrated such a loving feeling for this baby that I am sure that it carried over into her life. She was so very fortunate that you loved her enough to let her go. Hugs to you, you are a wonderful woman, and I think it was so very generous of you to share your story.

BRAVA, babbette! B-e-a-utiful! (My favorite line: "...I held my head up as though I were sniffing pies in heaven." I hope that you write/share some more! kh

Estee, thank you for sharing your beautiful story of believing in miracles.

Babbette, you've been on my mind all day. I wish you all the peace in the world and hope your prayers will be answered.

babbette
I too, was very touched. It is so wonderful that there are still selfless people such as yourself around. That was truly the most beautiful Christmas gift ever. I have a grandson that was adopted out to a great couple; last year on Christmas Day I handed him over to his parents. I was sad and even devastated, but I was thankful as well, to be included. I knew then, and still do, that the baby was exactly where he belonged; that there is so much more to the words, "If it is God's will." I am fortunate that it is an open adoption so I do receive photos, updates and a visit every once in a while. I am proud of you!!!

Oh, wow, Elljay, that was another "Best Christmas present ever." Thank you for your kind words. I appreciate you all more than I can say.

Merry Christmas to you, Babbette. I hope you see this. You gave the most precious Christmas gift of all. I hope one day you will be reunited with your daughter. That your prayers will be answered and you will be given the peace that you need, to know your daughter. I admire you for your choice, a better life for your child. I have a feeling she holds her head high, sniffing those sweet pies from heaven...being comforted just knowing how much her mother loves her.

We miss you.

Piper