Excerpt from One Woman’s Choice:
Knock, knock, knock. I opened the door and invited Peter, Denise,
Adam, and Kristen in. We greeted each other with hellos and
handshakes. I asked Denise if she would like to see and hold
Kalen, who was napping in the bedroom. She eagerly said yes. I
gave the Connors a verbal journey of events from the last couple of
days. I presented to them a photo album that I had put together; it
contained pictures from Kalen’s sonogram, and pictures of Jaren,
Kalen, and me at the hospital and in our home. At one point, I
looked over to Denise, and she had tears in her eyes. This meant so
much to me. I knew we had a mutual understanding of each other’s
role in this child’s life. I was delighted to be a part of the union and
love that took place that day. I think we all knew we owed that to
Kalen and to Jaren.
Denise handed me Kalen one last time. I told him I loved him and
kissed him good-bye. With tears in my eyes, I handed him back
to Denise and made one last request. “Please take good care of
him,” I said. She reassured me that she would. I thanked Peter and
Denise for parenting this child whom I felt I could not. I will be
forever grateful to them for that. After I closed the door, I figured
I’d surely want to break down and cry, but I didn’t. I was reassured
after meeting the Connors. I knew in my heart that this child I
handed them would be taken care of. It also confirmed that I made
two good choices—one in choosing adoption, and one in choosing
them….”
“…. I called Brian to tell him Kalen was adopted. He stopped over
after work and listened with concern as I talked about the events
of my last few days. I shared the pictures and video of Kalen with
him. Brian called me every couple of days to check on my progress
and emotional state. When everyone else had stopped calling and
was getting back to their lives, it was Brian who continued to
comfort me.
The Connors had to stay in town for a couple of weeks; they
couldn’t take Kalen out of state until the courts approved them
temporary custody. About a week later, Kristen called me and
said that the Connors wanted to invite Jaren and me out to lunch
and wondered if it would be appropriate. She asked if I would be
willing to meet with the Connors; she offered me the date, time,
and place. I was delighted and happily agreed. I wasn’t sure how I
would react seeing Kalen again, but I knew I couldn’t refuse their
invitation.
In some cases, I believe birth mothers feel used after the adoption
process is over. During the pregnancy, the expectant mother
is showered with attention and concern from the agency, the
proposed parents, and even the public in general. Once her job
is complete and her baby has been delivered and adopted, many
times everyone cuts the ties. The caseworker moves on to another
case, the adoption couple moves on to their new life with their
newborn baby, and the general public does not know that the
woman they see is someone who just gave birth to a beautiful,
healthy baby. All of a sudden, the birth mother is left feeling the
loss of her baby and her encouraging coaches. The emotional
support that she receives prior to her delivery ceases during the
most crucial time of her recovery process, when she needs it most.
Receiving this call from the Connors meant so much to me. In my
mind, this meant they were still thinking of us.
One Woman’s Choice depicts a heartfelt and emotional story about a young woman who faced difficult decisions: abortion, single parenting, and adoption. Lingering in sorrow and guilt can be destructive. Examining the past and reanalyzing life and previous choices can help one to cope with emotional pain. Karen Whitaker delves deep within her past and shares her own story to help other women overcome fear and helplessness. Facing the realities of abortion and adoption can empower women and establish a voice of strength that heals the heart and restores faith. One Woman’s Choice is a story about faith and the undying will to persevere and survive, no matter the obstacle. This is not a debate over Pro-choice or Pro-life, but an inspiring example of how one woman overcame the odds.
Author bio:
I grew up in a small town on the northeastern coast of the United States. I’ve always had the love of writing, and prior to this book I focused more on poetry and song writing. However, the events in my life took me down a path that would lead me to tell this story.
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