Category Archives: baby

Volunteers Matter: Alaina Butler

Crisis Pregnancy Outreach has been 100% run by volunteers since its inception more than 30 years ago. No one has ever received a salary, which enables CPO to make an even bigger difference in the lives of Tulsa area women. We know that volunteers matter, and to honor them we periodically interview and highlight one of our volunteers.
This week we hear from someone whose work you dear readers see regularly… occasional writer for our blog and frequent photographer for all things CPO: Alaina Butler.
Q: In what ways do you volunteer at CPO?
A: I have an office shift every month to answer the phones and help people that come in. I also do some of the photography work for the blog.
Q: How long have you been volunteer with us?
A: I have been volunteering for 15 months now.
Q: How did you find out about CPO?
A: I found out about CPO through my friends, the Justice family who adopted their triplets about two years ago.
Q: Why did you choose to volunteer at CPO versus other organizations? What is it about crisis pregnancies that drew you to us?
A: Honestly it was because of the Justices. I wanted to give back to the organization that had brought their sweet little lives into our church family. I had been wanting to volunteer at a pregnancy center for some time and chose CPO because I had that connection with it.
Q: Why is our cause so close to your heart?
A: Every single person deserves to be loved and part of a family. Every one. Birth mothers, and adopted babies, and adopting families. I love being a part of an organization that cares so deeply about all the people groups involved.
Q: What have you learned about yourself since you began volunteering?
A: I have learned that I can do all things through Christ. My first day in the office I spent most of my shift praying that the phone would not ring, but the longer I have been at CPO the more I have realized that I am just a vessel that God has put here for such a time as this and He can work in and through me in any way that He needs to.
Q: What would you say to anyone who might be considering becoming involved with CPO?
A: Do it! You never know the impact and testimony that you can have in someone’s life! We are called to be the hands and feet of Christ to a lost and dying world. Let’s stop worrying about being qualified and get to work loving people for Jesus.

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Birth Mother’s Day at CPO

Below is another beautiful article written by a CPO birth mother, Angela McLaughlin. It is meant to be informative about our upcoming Birth Mother’s Day celebration at CPO, but it is also insightful, as she shares her thoughts about the important day.

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I’m going to be frank. I kind of dread Mother’s Day. That shouldn’t come as much of a surprise, but in case it does, I’ll tell you why. We’re talking about a holiday that celebrates the joys of motherhood. For a birth mom, it can feel like a public reminder of the pain caused by placing her child for adoption. Those feelings are also conflicting, as many birth moms are very close to the adoptive parents, and your feelings can feel like a distraction from their joy.
These reasons, and the overwhelming love that she feels for birth moms, are why Cheryl Bauman, Executive Director and founder of CPO, decided to start celebrating Birth Mother’s Day. As she says, “Birth Mother’s Day is my favorite celebration! It is a time set aside to honor the women who have made Adoption Plans for their Birth Children. It is a time to acknowledge the courage that it took for Birth Mothers to make these loving plans. Historically, Mother’s Day has been one of the hardest days for Birth Mothers. At church, when the pastor would ask for all of the Mothers to stand up, they weren’t sure if they should stand up or stay seated. I am so grateful to a group of Birth Moms in the Pacific Northwest who decided to honor Birth Moms by having a day that is just for them. Birth Mothers are our heroes!”
For some, this is a day when they can celebrate their motherhood, even without parenting. It’s a unique opportunity to be recognized as a birth mom for your part in bringing life and love into the world. As birth mom Amanda told me, “The meaning of the day is so special, because it’s the day I’m celebrated for my part in [my birth daughter] Milly’s life. I’m a mother to my 6 year old son, Shaun, and we celebrate Mother’s Day, and I can tell you that this is very different.”
For some who are struggling with the grief of placement, this day is an opportunity to reflect on the joys of their adoption plan, especially their birth children. My first Birth Mother’s Day is an especially fond memory. I was asked to speak at the celebration, and I chose to read the following selection from poet e.e. cummings:

i carry your heart with me(i carry it in
my heart)i am never without it(anywhere
i go you go,my dear;and whatever is done
by only me is your doing,my darling)
—————————————-i fear
no fate(for you are my fate,my sweet)i want
no world(for beautiful you are my world,my true)
and it’s you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you

This poem reflected the way that I, and so many birth families, feel after placement. As birth mom Dakota explained to me, “It’s hard to deal with a lot of the emotions that come from being separated from my baby. I don’t even really call him my baby because I feel like he’s [adoptive mom] Summer’s now.”
There’s a space where your child was, and it’s a constant struggle to fill that space with love. Speaking and sharing fellowship with other birth moms is a way to do just that.
And this year’s Birth Mother’s Day is going to be more celebratory than ever! After realizing that things sometimes felt a little too “heavy,” CPO has changed things up a little! As event coordinator Rhonda Fisher told me, “Previously, Birth Mother’s Day was a very somber ceremony. There were speakers including adopted kids, birth mothers, and adoptive families. There was worship music and a candle lighting ceremony. There were many tears. It was a day to remember the birth mothers and it was very respectful of them. But we heard from quite a few that they would like something a little more upbeat. So this year things will be radically different.”
This year’s event will feature “Steaks and Cakes,” with adoptive dads manning the grills. There will also be a special birth mom pampering area, with mini-manicures and pedicures, facials, and massages. And, the best part (in my opinion) are the mini-photography sessions. It’s difficult to look at all the adorable family photos of your adoptive family sometimes. It’s another, albeit tiny, reminder. But thanks to CPO, birth moms will have an opportunity to take photos with their adoptive families or birth children, or both! It’s an opportunity to take home a fabulous memento, as well as relax and be pampered.
Below you’ll find the birth mother version of the invitation for the celebration. We urge all CPO birth mothers and CPO adoptive families to keep an eye on their mailbox as their personal invitations should arrive any day now.

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Retro CPO: Cheryl Said!

Each month we will feature a “retro” CPO article, one that is pulled from our archives of quarterly newsletters. Whenever possible we will provide details regarding the author and date of publication.

This month’s Retro CPO article was written by our founder, Cheryl Bauman, in the Spring of 2005.

I always look forward to the CPO Adoptive Family Support Group meetings, which are held each month. This group is made up of families that have already adopted children through CPO, or are waiting to adopt. The room that we use at Christian Chapel is always completely full of happy adults, adorable toddlers, and precious newborn babies. The couples are always anxious for the first meeting that is held after their little one is born. This child is the answer to their prayers, and they know that no one will be more excited than other parents who have experienced the pain of infertility, and the fulfillment of their petitions to God. I really cannot, adequately, describe the love that is in that room. As we go around the room, each family speaks tenderly of their little one’s birth mom. They speak about how much they love her and what a hero she is. They talk about the time they have spent with her, the phone calls, and the letters. There are always a few families who tell of their concern over not hearing from their birth mom. They ask the others to remember her in their prayers. The outpouring of love always warms my heart, and I leave refreshed and energized. I believe that these families are examples of open adoption at its very best.

Instead of seeking to avoid a relationship with their child’s birth family, these adoptive families in CPO choose to maintain contact and develop an ongoing relationship. They see the birth family as part of their extended family. I am so grateful that adoption has changed so much in the last 20 years. Always and ever, we must remember that these little ones have two families: their birth families and their parents who raise them to be all that God created them to be. Praise God that these children will grow up knowing about their birth families and these incredibly courageous young women who not only gave them life, but a life with a wonderful family in a two-parent home. I believe that God blesses those things that are done in the light.

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It has been ten years since Cheryl wrote the above note in her newsletter, but the Adoptive Family Support Group still meets. Even if you haven’t attended in years, please feel welcome to join us on the 3rd Thursday night each month. Those that are still in the infancy of their open adoptions would love to hear the wisdom that comes from those who have been doing this for 10 (or even 20) years!

Join Us at the CPO Easter Party!

You’re invited to the CPO Easter party! It will be held April 4th from 2-4 at CPO.
This party is for everyone involved with CPO: parenting girls, birth moms, adoptive families, and volunteers! And most important: KIDS!
Come join us for food, fun, and our annual egg hunt!
Plus, this year there will be a very special guest! No spoilers here, but he has two floppy ears and a fuzzy tail!

Here are some pics from last year. Look at all the fun we had!

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Hope to see you there!

Parenting Success Story: Kaci

Many women who come to CPO during their crisis pregnancies choose to parent their child. We are happy to support them in their efforts with counseling, mentors, parenting classes, and more. From time to time we would like to highlight one of our parenting success stories. The article below, written by Ashley Ledbetter, is the first of such highlights. Stay tuned for more!

One area of focus for Crisis Pregnancy Outreach is, naturally, the Realm of Parenting. When girls and women make the decision to partner with CPO their immediate needs may be healthcare and mental/emotional support, but after several months of pregnancy the point is eventually reached at which their cumbersome bellies leave- and their precious baby stays. In many cases Baby is placed with an adoptive family, chosen by the birth mother, to be raised up and trained in the way they should go. Other times, the mother chooses to parent. It is not a simple choice.
In the case of Kaci Caruthers parenting wasn’t the first choice. As she will tell you though, “everything happened the way it was supposed to happen.”k3Kaci became pregnant at age 16. The birth father, Winston, was 18. As a high school sophomore she sought out CPO with the intention of making an adoption plan. She took part in the free counseling that CPO provided her and attended the monthly adoption support groups. She was even able to choose the adoptive family that would care for her son. As with many CPO stories, Kaci’s plan didn’t exactly come to pass as she had anticipated. The delivery day came. Things changed. In short, Winston and his relatives were unwilling to consent to the adoption. In response to the unforeseen conflict, Kaci ultimately decided to become a parent to her newborn son, Bryson.
Since Crisis Pregnancy Outreach is equipped to support girls in adoption AND parenting, Kaci continued to receive its resources. She continued weekly counseling, one of the most treasured resources available to her, and began to attend the parenting support group where she identified with other girls going through similar journeys as herself. Kaci’s mother took on an extremely supportive role, helping and babysitting (to say the least) as well as caring for Bryson at night while Kaci slept so that she could continue her education. In May of 2010 Kaci graduated from high school with honors… and a 1 year old.kaci2kaci1One of the most inspiring and encouraging things about Jesus Christ is His ability to restore. He makes old things new. He lifts the needy from the ashes and seats them among princes… He has them inherit a throne of honor (1 Sam 2:7) It has been 5 years since Kaci brought her son home. She is, undeniably, a story of success and restoration. Her once rocky relationship with Winston has grown away from tension and uncertainty and towards stability and maturity. They have been living on their own for almost 2 years, working steady jobs and allowing Bryson to participate in Asbury’s preschool program. The extended family dynamics that were once conflicting are now at peace. Kaci and Winston consider both sides of their families to be there for them whenever they need help. Kaci’s relationship with Jesus has grown deeper. She is progressively enjoying the experience of placing others above herself, even if it means her grown-up shopping trips bring home bags of Baby Gap instead of new clothes for mommy- something ALL moms can relate to! Her life is not as simple as it might have been if she had not become pregnant at 16 years old, or had her adoption been completed as planned. Fortunately, now she gets to end her days playing “Barbie and Batman” in the bathtub with her son. She has the privilege of learning to care for another human being. No one can be a perfect parent but Kaci and Winston are striving to train Bryson to know and understand right from wrong while teaching him to “trust God and know that He always has a plan.”k2Kaci made a decision early in her pregnancy that she would encourage every girl in her situation to consider: ‘think about the baby.’  Years later she continues to embrace the same decision, “It’s my goal to give him the best life he could ever have!”
She recommends Crisis Pregnancy Outreach to everyone she knows.

Photo credits: First and last taken by Ashley Ledbetter, second taken by Alexis Newton, third taken by Melinda Hunley.

Retro CPO: My Story

Each month we will feature a “retro” CPO article, one that is pulled from our archives of quarterly newsletters. Whenever possible we will provide details regarding the author and date of publication.

This month’s Retro CPO article was written by an anonymous birth mother in the Spring of 2005.

I am parenting two girls, who are 8 and 11 years old. I made adoption plans for two girls, who are now 19 months and 7 months. I recently went back to school to become a Dental Assistant. I know that if I had not made adoption plans for the two younger girls, I would not have gone to school.

In December 2002 I discovered I was pregnant. I could not believe the home pregnancy test, so I went to a crisis pregnancy center for another test. I didn’t know what to do, besides cry and be mad! I knew that I was not capable of raising another child on my own. The nurse gave me a list of adoption agencies, told me that CPO did open adoptions, and that I would be able to choose a family. I was so worried about the fact that both the birth father and I are Native Americans. I knew the baby must be placed with a family of the same tribe. [Editor’s Note: Some parts of the law have changed since then, but placing NA babies is still quite regulated.] I was afraid that would make it hard to find a family, but it was not a problem.

I put off calling Cheryl for several days. I felt so ashamed that I did not feel capable of parenting this baby, despite the face that I was taking care of my older girls. When I met with Cheryl, she assured me that I was making the loving choice for all of us, and I felt a lot better.

I met the adoptive family and felt good about placing my baby with them. When I went into labor, I called them, and they arrived in time for her to be born. At first, I felt hurt knowing that I would not be parenting M. I didn’t want to leave the hospital. My biggest concern was that I wanted her to know that I love her. I did not want her to grow up hating me.

Shortly after giving birth, I became pregnant again. I called Cheryl, and began meeting families. I knew instantly that the third family I met was perfect, even though they did not have as much “Indian blood” as I had hoped! The adoptive mother and I talked a lot and she seemed so real. I felt comfortable with the whole family.

While I was in my early stage of pregnancy, I decided to go back to school. It was a real struggle, and I had several obstacles in my way. I honestly believe that if I had not had Cheryl and Mary (the adoptive mom) encouraging me and believing in me, I would not have finished.

Making an adoption plan for my babies was the hardest decision I have ever made, but it was the best decision. I know they are very much loved and are being well taken care of. Placing these two children means I can now be the mom I need to be for my older children. And I am so happy that I can see them, and be an important person in their lives.

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Volunteers Matter: Claire Theriot

Crisis Pregnancy Outreach has been 100% run by volunteers since its inception more than 30 years ago. No one has ever received a salary, which enables CPO to make an even bigger difference in the lives of Tulsa area women. We know that volunteers matter, and to honor them we periodically interview and highlight one of our volunteers.
This week we learn about Claire Theriot, the Director of Volunteers and of course, a volunteer herself!
Q: In what ways do you volunteer at CPO?
A: I am the Director of Volunteers, helping new volunteers get plugged in and find the best place they can utilize their gifts and talents within Crisis Pregnancy Outreach. I also work around 5-7 office shifts a month.
Q: How long have you been volunteering with us?
A: I have been volunteering since August 2014. I started out as an intern while working on my bachelor’s degree in Social Work at NSU. I am still currently “interning”, but am so blessed to have found a position within CPO that gives me an ample amount of hours, but also the opportunity to interact with all of the amazing volunteers!
Q: How did you find out about CPO?
A: I first heard about CPO a couple of years ago, or so. I attend Church on the Move and during a women’s bible study, we all got together for a service project. The service project ended up being to help remodel the transitional home at Crisis Pregnancy Outreach. I remember sitting in COTM’s auditorium on a July Sunday morning, watching the video about CPO and couldn’t hold back the tears or ignore the tugging on my heart. I knew somehow, someway, I was going to be a part of this organization.
Q: Why did you choose to volunteer at CPO versus other organizations? What is it about crisis pregnancies that drew you to us?
A: Ever since that first exposure, CPO had always been on my heart. Being a single mom, in college, and working, I haven’t ever found time for extra activities. Once I started my senior semester, and found out that we were required to do an internship in order to graduate, I immediately called CPO, almost a year after hearing about them! They weren’t on the list of approved agencies, but I chatted with my professor and got the okay to begin my internship at CPO. I was SO THRILLED!
Q: Why is our cause so close to your heart?
A: CPO has such a special place in my heart. Almost five years ago, I found myself in a crisis pregnancy. 19, pregnant, not married… I remember thinking how my life was over. It wasn’t until I found Jesus and learned how God was going to turn all my sin, all my hurt, all my pain into something good and beautiful. I was back in college, landed a dream job, and was doing everything I could to provide the best life for my son, Ryder, and I. I have so much love and so much passion for these girls. I want them all to know that they are loved. They have purpose. They can continue on with life and become the greatest of the great at whatever God has planned for them. They just have to trust him.
CPO does this SO. WELL.
Everyone affiliated with CPO loves these girls and children so much, and want them all to know their worth! The fact that they have a 24/7 hotline? WOW! CPO truly thinks about every detail and makes this agency the best it can be for the clients.
Q: What have you learned about yourself since you began volunteering?
A: Since volunteering at CPO, I have learned a lot about humility and flexibility. Jesus said to love. For me to truly show my love, I needed to jump right in. Get my hands dirty. Use my gifts, rather than just staying in the comfort of my quiet space praying. I serve Him by serving others. I found out just how much I can benefit from a little flexibility. I am a very type A, black and white type of person, and at CPO you never know what might come up. God has shown me that it is okay to be a little unprepared and a little flustered, and even confused, because He has it all taken care of.  CPO has shown me that it’s okay when things don’t go my way… because they are going HIS way.
Q: How have you seen God’s hand at work in the ministry of CPO?
A: I have seen God’s hand in so many areas of this ministry. I am blown away daily with the fact that this entire agency is ran by volunteers. This world has beautiful, beautiful people with the kindest of hearts who keep this remarkable agency running. Hearing testimonies, seeing birth mothers in person whose lives have been completely transformed, seeing adoptive couples hold their new baby for the first time can’t be explained any other way than our almighty God’s hand at work. Even down to the fact of my DoV position. I was very behind in hours, and was wondering if CPO might not have been the best choice for the type of internship I was required to have. I knew how much I loved it, and I knew in my heart this was where I belonged. I prayed about it, and it wasn’t but a week or two later that I was asked if I would be interested in the position. It ended up that I was actually OVER my hours this past semester.
Q: What would you say to anyone who may be considering becoming involved with CPO
A: Contact me! 😉 But really, if you feel God placing this agency on your heart, you will not regret any time spent here. Not every situation is perfect, but at the end of the day, thinking about all the lives that have been transformed within this agency makes everything worth it. Also, it’s good for you!! Volunteering provides physical and mental rewards. It helps to reduce stress: I’ve learned that when you focus on someone other than yourself, it interrupts usual tension-producing patterns. Volunteering also makes you healthier! Moods and emotions, like optimism, joy, and control over one’s fate, strengthen the immune system. Optimism and joy definitely go hand in hand with CPO!

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Meet Tracie, The CPO Parenting Coordinator

Written by Amie Vetscher, this article introduces you to one of the vital parts of our ministry: our Parenting Group. Now that you’ll have met Tracie Roesslein, we will occasionally profile one of our many parenting success stories. Keep an eye on the blog in the coming months to see those!

Surpassing a twenty-year milestone in any field of work is a hallmark achievement. Devoting all of those years solely toward one organization is an exceptional form of loyalty that seems virtually extinct today. Prevailing through the perennial disappointments and triumphs of the same job, with the battle scars to prove it—that sounds like a buoy of strength in a sea of burnout.
But…doing all of this without ever cashing a paycheck? That may either be an oddity looming upon insanity, or the making of a real-world saint.
Sustained by faith that God has led her to be doing “exactly what [she’s] supposed to be doing”—and the occasional Braum’s hot fudge sundae— Tracie Roesslein has been the Parenting Coordinator at Crisis Pregnancy Outreach for the last sixteen years.

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Seven years before that, Tracie started handling the food and beverage component of all of the CPO parties. When a CPO girl has a baby, her parenting mom support group or birth mom support group, along with the many families involved in CPO’s ministry, shower her with baby gifts or personal gifts. Each year, CPO also hosts two Waiting Family Workshops, four days of informative speaker panels and training for adoptive families. In addition to supporting CPO’s Parenting Moms, Tracie volunteers her to time to make sure all those events are filled with fellowship and some great food; she has been doing this for the last twenty-three years.
“You could actually say,” explains Tracie, “I’ve been a part of CPO from the get go.” Founded by her mother, Cheryl Bauman, in 1983, CPO has been a part of Tracie’s life since she was a teenager. In the years of CPO’s infancy, Tracie found herself in a circumstance very similar to those women she now supports in the Parenting Group. Tracie was sixteen when she found out she was pregnant with her son Jay (now age twenty-nine), and became a working teen mother with an unsupportive birthfather at age seventeen. During that difficult time, Tracie would pray, “Lord, how are You going to redeem this in any way?”
Today that answer is clear. Empathy.
“I really do get where these girls are at,” Tracie says. “I get the addiction. I get the rotten boyfriend. I get that.” Some of the members of the Parenting Group, which meets weekly every Tuesday night, have been going for the last six years. They know everything about each other’s lives. Newer members of the group have three-month-olds on up. “If they’re going to parent,” Tracie believes, “they need the best advice and the best things they can do.”
Now there are fifteen women who meet regularly, and Tracie has two assistants, Jenni Anthamatten and April Walter. Nutritionists, nurses, therapists and many others have presented as guest speakers to speak about child nutrition, milestones in child development, and dozens of useful and relevant topics to moms trying to raise healthy kids on their own.
After sixteen years and still counting, nearly two-hundred women have been touched by the grace of this women’s group. “I have lots of moments that I’ve just been in awe of how God has moved through CPO and moved in these girls’ lives.”
No one can know what the future will hold or how God will exactly move through these interconnected lives. But they can have fun together. They can be welcoming and empathetic to the next young woman who needs good advice and a solid network of dependable friends. They can celebrate new births and their children’s developmental milestones. And, in the case of their resilient and committed leader who feels she has “been there and has the kids to show for it,” they can always be there for each other. That is Tracie’s plan. “I never see myself quitting,” she says. “Never.”

Photo credit: Alaina Butler of Inspired Life Photos

Retro CPO: Cheryl Said!!

Each month we will feature a “retro” CPO article, one that is pulled from our archives of quarterly newsletters. Whenever possible we will provide details regarding the author and date of publication. This month’s Retro CPO article was written by Cheryl Bauman, our founder and executive director. It was written in summer of 2008.

We received an urgent call on the CPO hotline. A woman whose daughter was in school with a girl, who was planning a 21-week abortion, was desperate to save the baby and the precious girl’s LIVES. She needed one of the CPO staff members to meet with her the next day. I already had an appointment, as did all 5 of my assistants.
I looked to my daughter, Natalie, and asked if she could meet with this girl. When this dear girl heard about open adoption, she thought it was a great idea. NO ONE HAD PRESENTED HER WITH THAT OPTION. She didn’t even know what open adoption was.
I pray that each one of us at CPO feels an ongoing commitment to just talk to everyone about open adoption, so that everyone knows that it is an alternative to abortion and parenting. Very few young girls are equipped to parent their babies, and open adoption is a wonderful alternative. They have the blessing of having their children raised in a stable, loving, two-parent, Christian home, and the joy of watching that little on grow, and being a part of his or her life.
When Natalie and the girl went to Dr. Myers’ office and watched this unborn baby on the ultrasound, she knew she had made the right decision– a decision she can live with now, and later, with no regrets. She chose an awesome family to parent her baby, and is filled with peace.
God is so faithful.

He Has a Plan: Inside a CPO Open Adoption, Part Three

This is the final installment in a series of articles featuring an inside look at one of CPO’s recent adoption success stories. Be sure to read Part One and Part Two if you missed them in earlier weeks. Many thanks to Alaina Butler of Inspired Life Photos for the fine photography and conducting the interviews. Also, thanks to the Borg family and their new daughter’s birth mom, Kelly, for being willing to share their story with the world.

Alaina: Tell us a bit about open adoption, post birth.
Borg Family: Post birth adoption was very easy for us. There were several times that Kelly would come visit and get her dose of this amazing little person. We continued to make every effort to allow Kelly and her family to be involved in our lives as this is the healthiest thing for all involved. Not to mention Kelly’s extended family are incredible and adopted us as much as we adopted them.
Our adoption is far into the open side of open adoption. We completely trust Kelly and her family with Harper. They take great care of her when they see her and also include our biological son as if the adoption is both ways. This is a relationship that will allow us to walk life with them. There have also been a couple times that Kelly has been able to watch Harper without us being there which is such a blessing. I cannot explain how great it is to know that Harper has so much love on both sides.

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Alaina: How is little Harper doing? Can you tell us some of how you have all adjusted to having a new little one in the house?
Borg Family: Where to start…Harper is amazing. She has been an incredible blessing and an easy baby. There is a sense of completeness when our whole family is together. Trusting in God has a great reward and we are blessed enough to get to enjoy it every day.
The adjustment phase was pretty easy with the exception of our biological son. After having been the only child for 6 years and going through one failed adoption, Mason was pretty apprehensive. He would not touch, talk to, or allow her in his room. It is not surprising though that Harper was able to win him over as she does everyone. Mason makes it a point to run in and be one of the first people she sees. It is something that he looks forward to and we enjoy watching as she will smile back at him and fill his heart.
Since she has been able to interact and coo, she has been nothing less than what our family looks forward to every morning and every evening before bed. She lights up and smiles whenever she sees us and has a way of making us feel the love that was once given to her from the heart of her birth mom. There is this light in her eyes that can only be explained as being from a touch that only God could have done.

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Alaina: Overall, can you sum up your experience with CPO and adoption? How did it compare with your expectations?
Borg Family: I think that an organization like CPO is a rare hidden treasure and I’ve never heard of another ministry like it. It is 100% volunteer ran and the founder, nor anyone else, has ever taken a salary. To me this proves it is truly about the people. Each and every director, assistant, and volunteer has a heart for the women and children that come through the doors. CPO far exceeded any expectations we had, not that we necessarily had any specific expectations. The support that adoptive families give each other is priceless. When you are in a season of sorrow, you are still able to rejoice with a family that has just welcomed a new family member. When you are joyful, you can weep with a family that has just experienced a failed adoption or that is going through trials with birth families. The amount of support offered by CPO is truly unheard of.  Because of the information that CPO provides, we have been able to educate so many people on open adoption and the benefits it has opposed to closed adoption.

Alaina: Can you give us an example of something God did during this process?
Borg Family: I was truly able to put 100% of my trust in God with the interview process, creating life books, home studies, mounds of paperwork, meeting potential birth mothers, finances, etc. There really isn’t any other way to go through an adoption without trusting in Him. We had a few fundraisers to help with adoption expenses but never received enough to cover all of the fees we’d incur. I didn’t stress about where the money was going to come from because from the beginning God told us He would provide. When it came time to pay the agency fees, all the money we had received through fundraising had already been used to cover other adoption related expenses. We never expected that David would receive a bonus because he had only been at his new job less than one year. However, he did. It was more than enough to cover our agency fees. Another time, David was approached to do some side work for an old employer and that helped cover some of the legal bills we received.  If God says He will provide and make a way, He will. It’s as simple as that.

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That’s it for our story about Kelly and the Borg family. Please remember to keep them all in your prayers as they continue to navigate this lifelong journey. And… if  you’ve been inspired by CPO’s part in God’s amazing plan, you can help CPO by donating here. Thanks for your support!