Beginning of Samantha’s Journey
Samantha’s adoption journey began three years ago. She had been going through a highly stressful time in her life. She learned she was expecting halfway through her pregnancy and had recently left a mentally abusive relationship with the child’s father.
Conflicting emotions soon followed the news. Samantha was truly excited because she had always wanted to be a mother. At the same time, she also experienced fear and nervousness. Samantha was 20 years old and pursuing higher education. Navigating a pregnancy during this stage in her life would have been challenging.
Samantha initially debated telling the child’s father of the news, though she would inform him that same night. The young woman described the father’s reaction, noting that he showed no emotion. It was at this point Samantha knew that she would have to raise her child alone should she choose to parent.
Although Samantha knew which route she would take, she weighed all the options available to her. Closer towards the end of her pregnancy, Samantha officially decided adoption was the best choice for her and her child. As she searched for adoption agencies, Adoptions From The Heart (AFTH) stood out among the lists. It would take some time for Samantha to build the courage to contact AFTH’s Virginia Office. However, when she did, she began a beautifully open adoption with her son’s adoptive family.
Finding Hope Through The Scholarship
When placing, Samantha worked with AFTH Virginia’s District Supervisor, Nicole Fowler. It was Nicole who referred Samantha to the agency’s Birth Parent Scholarship Fund. Samantha had been facing several challenges. She would be the first one in her immediate family to go to school. She was experiencing financial difficulties and could not turn to her parents for support. Her family’s income exceeded the limit for financial aid. But they refused to provide any help paying for Samantha’s expenses.
The hopeful student wrote the required essay for AFTH’s Scholarship application. Soon after, Samantha learned the good news that she received the scholarship. She described the joyous moment. Samantha had received the call at work and was ecstatic, joyfully sharing the news with her coworker, who was equally excited.
Samantha is grateful for the scholarship award as it made a great impact on her life. She said the award saved her, keeping her from getting into a rut. Had Samantha not remained enrolled in her program, her prerequisites would have expired, forcing her to begin the program again. Free from the worry of paying for her class, she was able to realign herself and work towards her goals. Her semester’s tuition is fully paid for, and she is already halfway through the semester.
She is currently studying medical billing and coding. Samantha always knew she wanted to join the medical field. She is passionate about the field, and helping children has always been a strong calling for her. She is also driven by personal loss as many of Samantha’s relatives have been affected by cancer.
Life Since Placing
Apart from continuing her studies, Samantha maintains an open adoption with her son and his family. They all get along wonderfully, enjoying roughly three visits a year before the pandemic. Her son’s parents have also been creative, making a blog for Samantha, where she can view regular updates about their son.
Placing her son for adoption was a challenging decision to make. Samantha was initially distraught and found it difficult to see her son due to her heightened emotions. She described feeling a tremendous amount of guilt and grief. With the support of her friends and resources such as AFTH Birth Parent Support Groups, Samantha began to heal. She now feels her son is in a better position and free from the financial struggles she experienced.
