Brittany and Tylee

Just a little background.... I went to Viewmont High with Brittany and her sister Brooke.  Brooke was my age and Brittany a year older.  I didn't know either very well during high school but was able to reconnect with Brittany on Facebook.  When I saw her profile picture I had to ask if her daughter was adopted (she's biracial and both Brittany and her husband are Caucasian).  She was great about it and opened up and shared her story with me.  I asked if to share her story with all of you.  Thank you again Brittany for being willing to share!

Q:Tell a little about yourself (Name, Age, where you live, how adoption has affected your life, anything else you want the readers to know).
A:  My name is Brittany,  I currently live in Weber County UT.  First of all my adoption story is different from the standard adoption.  I had the opportunity to adopt my sisters baby.  Adopting my daughter h as been the greatest blessing in my life.  She brings happiness into our lives on a daily basis.

Q:  When did your sister/birth mother start making an adoption plan?
A:  My sister, the birth mother, did not realize that she wanted to place her for adoption until he has parented her for five months.  Being a single mother was really hard for her, and she decided that Tylee would be better off with a mother and a father and thankfully the first family she thought of was me and my husband.  We had been trying to conceive for 3 years.  I was and still am so grateful that she was able to be so selfless and give me the greatest gift in the whole world.

Q:  How old was your daughter when she was placed with you?
A:  Tylee, my daughter, was 6 months old by the time she was able to move into our home.

Q:  Was the birth father involved in the adoption plan?
A:  The birth father was not very involved in Tylee's life, but enough that we still had to get his permission for the adoption.  He was very cooperative.

Q:  Do you have an open or closed adoption?
A:  I would consider our adoption an open one.  My sister can see Tylee whenever she wants.  The birth father as well.  At this time they both are choosing not to participate very much in Tylee's life.

Q:  What is the most unique thing about your adoption?
A:  I think the most unique thing about our adoption is the fact that my daughter has some of my blood. ha ha. She was able to keep the same set of original grandparents.  I think that helped a lot with the transition into our home.

Q:  When you found out your sister/birth mother was pregnant what was your reaction?
A:  Looking back on this now, I do feel very guilty.  My first reaction when I found out my sister was pregnant was jealousy.  My husband and I had a home and jobs and we would be able to provide two loving parents.... my sister didn't even know who the guys was the got her pregnant at first.  So i was angry and mad at God and everyone else because i wasn't able to get pregnant and my sister was.  I was bitter until precious Tylee arrived into this world.  I remember when I would hold her, even before she was legally  mine, the whole world would stop turning.  She was so amazing and perfect to me.  I would joke with my parents all the time after she was born that one day my sister was going to give her to me.  Little did I know it would actually come true!

Q:  How has that adoption changed your family dynamic (if at all)?
A:  Adoption has just made our lives more perfect!  It was a big change at first.  I mean most people get to start out with a baby that just lays in your arms, we got handed one that could already crawl and get into everything.  But after some quick baby proofing and a big change of focus, we got it all sorted out.  Since she was our first, she did change a lot of things, but for the better.

Q:  Do you plan to adopt more children or have them biologically?
A:  At this point in my life I would be happy to have a biological child, but if that doesn't happen in the next year I will adopt again.

Q:  What advice do you have for couples who are hoping to adopt?
A:  I would tell any couple wanting to adopt that it doesn't matter where the baby comes from.  Once they are in your home you completely forget that you didn't conceive them.  I am so happy that I chose to adopt.  It is seriously the greatest gift in the world.