It’s important to know how to cope properly while waiting to adopt, especially with the upcoming (and oftentimes heartbreaking) Mother’s Day. It can be a stressful and anxious time — really wanting to be a mother and yet, you find yourself still waiting. Mother’s Day can be a challenging time, but there is always hope. The best advice is to focus on the things you are grateful for while you are waiting to become a mother.

Share Your Feelings – Prepare – Focus on the Future – Celebrate Yourself

Here are some things to do on this Mother’s Day while you wait –

Fundraise! – Take time to apply for grants or start a fundraiser. Although it may seem harder to post a fundraiser on a holiday, it could generate more funds and spread the word!

Share your profile – If you are comfortable with it, ask family & friends to share your profile on social media or with their own personal circle! You never know who may come across it – someone may know of a birth mother looking to create an adoption plan or be able to connect you with another hopeful adoptive couple as a resource/support on your journey.

Check in with your caseworker – Feel free to check in with your adoption caseworker to get an update on where you are in your adoption journey. Ask how many times your profile has been shown! Ask about numbers – placement numbers for the year, number of birth mothers they are currently working with, etc. Ask if there is anything you can do or adjust to get more exposure with birth mothers!

There is no right or wrong way to deal with Mother’s Day. Do what feels good to you. If you want to stay home and see it as just another day, do that. If you want to be with friends and family and celebrate with them, then do that. Try and look to the future with optimism and hope. Your day will come!