*CW: childbirth death* "After having the 'kids talk,' my husband and I knew we wanted to adopt. We both have adoption in our family, and I have some genetic stuff that I didn't want to be passed down to kids — and I never wanted to be pregnant. ⁠ ⁠ We started the process in the summer of 2019 and expected it to go pretty quickly. We found an agency and began the long 'homestudy' process during which they ensure you’re suited to adopt. We made a 'profile book' that shows what our family is like and what we like to do. Expectant parents look over many such books to decide where they want to place their child. ⁠ ⁠ In May 2020, after some slowdowns due to COVID, we got a 'match.' That meant we'd been chosen by an expectant mother to be a child's adoptive family. The baby was due that October. At the end of September, we got a call that the expectant mother was in labor. We got in the car and drove the nine hours to where she lived. When we arrived, we didn't know what was going on, but our social worker got back to us a few hours later. She said the baby had passed away during delivery. That was the worst day of our lives." ⁠ ⁠ No two adoption stories are alike. Sometimes, it can be incredibly difficult to go through the process. Thankfully for this woman and her husband, after another difficult situation where the mother decided to keep the baby, they were able to successfully adopt a baby girl. Regardless, the mother says she "wouldn't wish [their] journey to parenthood on anyone." ⁠ ⁠ Read her story at the 🔗 in bio. ✍️ as told to @mollythemess #R29Article