Nicole and Brandon are high school sweethearts who have been there for each other since days in the school yard; picking each other up after injuries on the sports field, and supporting each other through tough family times.

They recently moved away from home and into their first apartment together after both being accepted to OSU. Nicole is studying liberal arts, and Brandon engineering. Both are focused on their academic and professional futures, and plan to travel after graduating.

It was a shock to discover Nicole was pregnant during their sophomore year. They weren’t ready to become parents, but also wanted the best for their unborn daughter.

After learning about openness in adoption, the young couple decided to go through our infant adoption program. Through Boys & Girls Aid, they were able to select the family they thought would be best for her.

“We are so thankful that Amelia will know her birth parents, and it’s a benefit to us to know them as well! They are great people, and we look forward to growing that relationship. ”

— Naomi & Sean

“As college students living away from home and in debt, we felt we would not be able to give her the life she deserved. However, we were not read to completely say goodbye to our beautiful baby girl. This is why we decided to have an open adoption. We want Amelia to have as many people as possible to love her and support her.

We also want to have a relationship with her when she gets older, and give her the opportunity to get to know us. We want to be open about this situation with her, not have her wondering why she was adopted and trying to search for her biological parents when she gets older.

At the beginning of the adoption process, we were given books of potential families looking to adopt. Naomi and Sean’s ‘book’ felt real when we were looking through it. They seemed like a down to earth family, and already had two wonderful boys. We were drawn to them because their values were like our own. We knew Amelia would be home schooled and would always have parents around, and not need a babysitter on a daily or weekly basis. This is very important to us. As we looked through their book, we realized they really wanted a baby girl. This felt like it was meant to be, like we were meant to choose them. It’s difficult to explain, but choosing their book just felt right.”

Naomi and Sean communicate with Nicole and Brandon every month, and plan to see each other four times a year.

“We have a pretty open relationship with the birthparents,” said Naomi. “The thing that surprised us about openness is how much our hearts are filled with love and care for the birthparents. The feelings of awkwardness and insecurity pretty much dissolved the moment we met.

We are so thankful that Amelia will know her birthparents, and it’s a benefit to us to know them as well! They are great people, and we look forward to growing that relationship. What we realized, too, is that we don’t need to be afraid of what the relationship will or won’t be. Things will naturally go how they need to as we all grow and change. Letting go of expectations and focusing on caring for Amelia and each other feels like the right thing and we’re embracing that.”

On Oct. 11, 2016, Nicole gave birth. As Naomi and Sean left the hospital with their newborn daughter, whom they named Amelia, Nicole and Brandon knew they would have continued support from their Boys & Girls Aid adoption clinician and continued communication with adoptive parents Naomi and Sean.

“We chose adoption because we wanted give her the life she deserves. We love and appreciate everything Naomi and Sean have done thus far to help us stay a part of her life and be able to watch her grow.”