This past Saturday was the New Beginnings Tampa Bay Fertility Conference.

It was a lovely morning at the Hilton in Tampa. The sessions covered a span of topics from Fertility 101, Genetics, Third Party Reproduction, Adoption, and even Fertility Yoga.

In between sessions, attendees could get to know the speakers and vendors at the tables set up in the lobby. The tables were set up around a delightful spread of refreshments. Nothing like coffee and snacks to keep your mind awake for information!

Heart of Adoptions was there because our fearless leader, Mary Wheatley was speaking at the adoption break out session “Adopt with Ease-How to Adopt Quickly & Successfully” Being our Executive Director and an adoptive mom herself, she has a wealth of knowledge on the process, as well as some heartwarming personal anecdotes, which she shared.

Presenting adoption at a fertility conference is a unique position. There are many roads people take to the start of an adoption journey. I wanted to hang a banner on the front of our table that would read “It’s not giving up. It’s beginning again.”

For many people investigating the adoption route feels like the end of a dream, the dream of carrying a child. And in some respects, that might be true. There are many elements of grief when it comes to infertility. It’s such a sensitive and tender time.

But I like the way one of our adoptive moms recently phrased it (she is also a patient of the Reproductive Medical Group) when she stated:

“Knowing that the ultimate goal was to become parents, not pregnant, we decided the best option for us was adoption…. We know how painful the IVF process can be, especially for those who are unsuccessful. We wanted to share a little bit of hope. There are so many ways to become parents and once that baby is in your arms, no matter how you got there, all the pain disappears…Definitely worth the wait, and wait and wait….”

We were happy to be there. We answered some common misconceptions about adoption. We put a few minds at easy about the finality of process. And many were encouraged by the financial coaching we provide.

But mostly, we were there to offer a different kind of hope. A different route. A new option. And to quote Mary from her presentation “We will make you a parent, some way, somehow, but in the end parenthood is attainable. We can make your dream a reality”