Dear potential member of our huge amazing family,
My name is Kara. I've been in your shoes about 11 years ago. I went through hundreds of profiles trying to find the right family for my daughter. None felt right. So I decided I was going to parent. One December night, my aunt ended up going to a get together where Corrine and Brandon were also at. They got to talking and wanting to adopt came up. My aunt told them I was looking to place my baby. So they rushed to get their profile in and once I saw their profile I knew they were the family my daughter was supposed to be with. Corrine & Brandon met with my mom, Kyle and I and it all felt right. Everything went so fast after that and it all fell right into place. It has been an open adoption ever since!
At first I was all for the open adoption. I loved seeing her exactly where she was supposed to be. But then it got really hard. I needed my space. So I pulled back. My family keeping in touch with Corrine the entire time. Once life settled and I had a good grip on things I jumped right back in the mix like I was never gone. I love the open
adoption!
As OUR daughter has gotten older things have been great! We are close even though we are farther apart. My son and Brielle have a special bond when they see each other. We (my entire family) like to look at adoption as not ever giving a child up but as gaining More family! As their family has grown so has mine. We love each and every one of their children as part of our own family. As their family grows so does ours. As they begin the adoption process again all of the family from both previous adoptions do to. We prepare to welcome another child and birth family into our already amazing family! We are all here to support each other!
Thank you for taking the time to read my amazing story. I hope you become part of it!
- Kara C. ( Brielle's birth mom)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
How Open Adoption Made Me a Grandma And Changed My Life
I’m Grandma Tammy. Anyone who is a Grandma, had a Grandma or wanted a Grandma knows the special bond between Grandparent and their Grandchildren. It’s euphoria!!! I have no other way to describe it.
At present, the only way I came to be a Grandma is through the blessing of open adoption and the persistence of an amazing Mother, Corrine Christian. If it had not been for her, I would not know or have experienced being a Grandmother. Praise the Lord!
Four years ago my Son Dustin came to me and showed me a picture of a baby boy, Gavin Danger Christian. He told me this little guy was his. You can imagine my shock and surprise. I was told he had been adopted by a family living in Colorado. Dustin said he had just found out about him and had confirmed it was true through a DNA test. My response? There was no need for a DNA test! I could tell with just a picture that Gavin was “his” birth child. The resemblance was uncanny. Dustin had met Gavin’s adoptive family and had been talking over the phone with them. Then came the awkward, “Corrine wants to talk to you and get to know you a little bit.” Never having experienced adoption directly, I didn’t know how the conversation should go.
From my first conversation over the phone with Corrine, I found talking with her to be surprisingly warm and easy. I told her that although I knew in my heart of hearts things happen for a reason and Gavin was where he truly was “meant” to be, why was she so brave as to want us to know about him? Without being able to remember her exact words, it was something about families needing to know they had a connection to a child they were unaware of and she felt Gavin also deserved to know more about his birth family.
Then she proceeded to update me about Gavin and the rest of the family. She offered to have Dustin and I come for a visit, opening up her home for us to come meet Gavin and the family.
It felt awkward to be traveling to another state to meet and stay with strangers. From the time Corrine picked us up at the airport, it seemed as if I had know her all my life. The drive home was an hour or 45 minutes, all the while she updated us on the family. Unfortunately the kids were already in bed for the night but were anxiously waiting to meet us in the morning. We couldn’t wake Gavin but she allowed us to peek in on him in his crib. She opened her family and her home to us completely. Making sure we felt welcome and comfortable.
Morning came and Gavin and his sisters were up. We met two angel girls. Brielle who had the most beautiful blue eyes and sweetness about her. The first thing she said to us was she could hardly sleep the night before because she couldn’t wait to meet us. Aria who has eyes matching her sister’s in beauty and a mischievous smile that makes her whole face glow! Before the weekend was over, she
had asked permission to call me Grandma! I was able to watch Gavin eat his baby cereal with more gusto than I had ever seen a child eat! It was hilarious watching him with his limited baby coordination, grab at the spoon to expedite his mother getting it to his mouth as fast as possible! Then grabbing his bib to suck off the bits of cereal that didn’t make it to his mouth. I was able to give him his bottle, change him, hold and rock him and put him to bed. I held him to my shoulder to burp him and watched the tiny face in the mirror looking back at me and I was suddenly transported back in time to when his birth father was a baby. The resemblance was so remarkable and the bond between us was immediate. I was in love with my Grandson.
Corrine took us to the airport when our first visit had come to it’s bitter-sweet end. I took one last look into Gavin’s eyes, sitting in his car seat, he gave me a huge grin. It was then that I burst into tears. How is it possible that this family had completely stolen my heart in 3 short days? I was missing them before I even left the car. Corrine grabbed me and gave me a hug and said reassuringly, “Oh No! Don’t cry, this is only the beginning!” My life was completely changed.
I returned home to share with friends of my remarkable visit to a family who had not only adopted my grandson but my entire family. I told them about Gavin, and my new Granddaughters. Of their incredibly talented Mother, Corrine and their Father, Brandon, who would come home from work and let my granddaughters chase him around the house, only to reverse and be chasing them. All the while the girls would be squealing and laughing. Someone’s comment to me was, “They sound wonderful, I want them to adopt me too!”
Since that first visit, we’ve shared holidays, birthdays and visits to Colorado. They have come and stayed at our home. I enjoyed the pleasure of going on their family vacation to San Diego and playing on the beach with my grand kids. Corrine and the family came to my house this June while she labored for 3 days on a wedding cake for Dustin and Sarah’s wedding. Gavin and his younger brother Slade were the most adorable ring bearers and Brielle and Aria the flower girls. My other son, Uncle Josh, has been given the amazing opportunity to apprentice with Brandon’s company working in real-estate and is living with Corrine and Brandon until he has learned enough from Brandon and his team to start making a living.
In 4 short years, the blessings we’ve received from this family have been many and life transforming! I can’t wait for them to receive Our newest granddaughter so I can hold her in my arms too!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Birth Grandparents - Dawn and Phil
Hi this is Dawn and Phil Sanders and Brielle is our granddaughter that was
adopted by Brandon and Corrine.
This has been an amazing experience, being part of the adoption process with and open adoption. Since this was all new to us and a difficult choice for our daughter and our family, Brandon and Corrine have opened their hearts and their arms to help us with this process. They have been very accommodating to our family and our feelings through this.
Not only did Brandon and Corrine adopt Brielle but we have adopted them and their little family as well. It has been amazing to have this extension to our current family and to feel their love. Through this process we have gained 3 more grandchildren to love and enjoy. We know they also have other grandparents
but, the more love the better in a family.
Brandon and Corrine have been able to provide so much love and care to help Brielle
and the other children they have, grow to their greatest potential.
If you consider Brandon and Corrine as adoptive parents, I can attest to the
amazing experience and the overwhelming love that would be experienced for
your child. If you or your family choose an open adoption, you will be able to
experience this love and joy also, in seeing your child grow up in a loving family
and still have that special connection to their birth parents and family.
Love,
Dawn and Phil Sanders
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My name is Kara. I've been in your shoes about 11 years ago. I went through hundreds of profiles trying to find the right family for my daughter. None felt right. So I decided I was going to parent. One December night, my aunt ended up going to a get together where Corrine and Brandon were also at. They got to talking and wanting to adopt came up. My aunt told them I was looking to place my baby. So they rushed to get their profile in and once I saw their profile I knew they were the family my daughter was supposed to be with. Corrine & Brandon met with my mom, Kyle and I and it all felt right. Everything went so fast after that and it all fell right into place. It has been an open adoption ever since!
At first I was all for the open adoption. I loved seeing her exactly where she was supposed to be. But then it got really hard. I needed my space. So I pulled back. My family keeping in touch with Corrine the entire time. Once life settled and I had a good grip on things I jumped right back in the mix like I was never gone. I love the open
As OUR daughter has gotten older things have been great! We are close even though we are farther apart. My son and Brielle have a special bond when they see each other. We (my entire family) like to look at adoption as not ever giving a child up but as gaining More family! As their family has grown so has mine. We love each and every one of their children as part of our own family. As their family grows so does ours. As they begin the adoption process again all of the family from both previous adoptions do to. We prepare to welcome another child and birth family into our already amazing family! We are all here to support each other!
Thank you for taking the time to read my amazing story. I hope you become part of it!
- Kara C. ( Brielle's birth mom)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
How Open Adoption Made Me a Grandma And Changed My Life
I’m Grandma Tammy. Anyone who is a Grandma, had a Grandma or wanted a Grandma knows the special bond between Grandparent and their Grandchildren. It’s euphoria!!! I have no other way to describe it.
At present, the only way I came to be a Grandma is through the blessing of open adoption and the persistence of an amazing Mother, Corrine Christian. If it had not been for her, I would not know or have experienced being a Grandmother. Praise the Lord!
Four years ago my Son Dustin came to me and showed me a picture of a baby boy, Gavin Danger Christian. He told me this little guy was his. You can imagine my shock and surprise. I was told he had been adopted by a family living in Colorado. Dustin said he had just found out about him and had confirmed it was true through a DNA test. My response? There was no need for a DNA test! I could tell with just a picture that Gavin was “his” birth child. The resemblance was uncanny. Dustin had met Gavin’s adoptive family and had been talking over the phone with them. Then came the awkward, “Corrine wants to talk to you and get to know you a little bit.” Never having experienced adoption directly, I didn’t know how the conversation should go.
From my first conversation over the phone with Corrine, I found talking with her to be surprisingly warm and easy. I told her that although I knew in my heart of hearts things happen for a reason and Gavin was where he truly was “meant” to be, why was she so brave as to want us to know about him? Without being able to remember her exact words, it was something about families needing to know they had a connection to a child they were unaware of and she felt Gavin also deserved to know more about his birth family.
Then she proceeded to update me about Gavin and the rest of the family. She offered to have Dustin and I come for a visit, opening up her home for us to come meet Gavin and the family. It felt awkward to be traveling to another state to meet and stay with strangers. From the time Corrine picked us up at the airport, it seemed as if I had know her all my life. The drive home was an hour or 45 minutes, all the while she updated us on the family. Unfortunately the kids were already in bed for the night but were anxiously waiting to meet us in the morning. We couldn’t wake Gavin but she allowed us to peek in on him in his crib. She opened her family and her home to us completely. Making sure we felt welcome and comfortable.
Morning came and Gavin and his sisters were up. We met two angel girls. Brielle who had the most beautiful blue eyes and sweetness about her. The first thing she said to us was she could hardly sleep the night before because she couldn’t wait to meet us. Aria who has eyes matching her sister’s in beauty and a mischievous smile that makes her whole face glow! Before the weekend was over, she
had asked permission to call me Grandma! I was able to watch Gavin eat his baby cereal with more gusto than I had ever seen a child eat! It was hilarious watching him with his limited baby coordination, grab at the spoon to expedite his mother getting it to his mouth as fast as possible! Then grabbing his bib to suck off the bits of cereal that didn’t make it to his mouth. I was able to give him his bottle, change him, hold and rock him and put him to bed. I held him to my shoulder to burp him and watched the tiny face in the mirror looking back at me and I was suddenly transported back in time to when his birth father was a baby. The resemblance was so remarkable and the bond between us was immediate. I was in love with my Grandson. Corrine took us to the airport when our first visit had come to it’s bitter-sweet end. I took one last look into Gavin’s eyes, sitting in his car seat, he gave me a huge grin. It was then that I burst into tears. How is it possible that this family had completely stolen my heart in 3 short days? I was missing them before I even left the car. Corrine grabbed me and gave me a hug and said reassuringly, “Oh No! Don’t cry, this is only the beginning!” My life was completely changed.
I returned home to share with friends of my remarkable visit to a family who had not only adopted my grandson but my entire family. I told them about Gavin, and my new Granddaughters. Of their incredibly talented Mother, Corrine and their Father, Brandon, who would come home from work and let my granddaughters chase him around the house, only to reverse and be chasing them. All the while the girls would be squealing and laughing. Someone’s comment to me was, “They sound wonderful, I want them to adopt me too!”
Since that first visit, we’ve shared holidays, birthdays and visits to Colorado. They have come and stayed at our home. I enjoyed the pleasure of going on their family vacation to San Diego and playing on the beach with my grand kids. Corrine and the family came to my house this June while she labored for 3 days on a wedding cake for Dustin and Sarah’s wedding. Gavin and his younger brother Slade were the most adorable ring bearers and Brielle and Aria the flower girls. My other son, Uncle Josh, has been given the amazing opportunity to apprentice with Brandon’s company working in real-estate and is living with Corrine and Brandon until he has learned enough from Brandon and his team to start making a living.
In 4 short years, the blessings we’ve received from this family have been many and life transforming! I can’t wait for them to receive Our newest granddaughter so I can hold her in my arms too!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Birth Grandparents - Dawn and Phil
Hi this is Dawn and Phil Sanders and Brielle is our granddaughter that was
adopted by Brandon and Corrine.
Not only did Brandon and Corrine adopt Brielle but we have adopted them and their little family as well. It has been amazing to have this extension to our current family and to feel their love. Through this process we have gained 3 more grandchildren to love and enjoy. We know they also have other grandparents
but, the more love the better in a family.
Brandon and Corrine have been able to provide so much love and care to help Brielle
and the other children they have, grow to their greatest potential.
If you consider Brandon and Corrine as adoptive parents, I can attest to the
amazing experience and the overwhelming love that would be experienced for
your child. If you or your family choose an open adoption, you will be able to
experience this love and joy also, in seeing your child grow up in a loving family
and still have that special connection to their birth parents and family.
Love,
Dawn and Phil Sanders
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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