Real Stories About Adoption

MEGAN CHOSE ADOPTION WITH THE CRADLE FOR HER SON

Megan Chose Adoption with The Cradle Adoption Agency for Her Son

“I FELT LIKE I HAD TO DEFEND MY DECISION.” LISA’S ADOPTION STORY

Lisa, who chose an open adoption for her son talks about being judged for her decision. Lisa Discusses Being Judged

MIRANDA’S ADOPTION STORY

Published May 2012 There is a time that each individual is faced with a hard decision. How you decide when

JESSICA’S STORY ABOUT DECIDING FOR ADOPTION

Hear Jessica describe how she felt when learning she was pregnant and how she went about considering adoption. A birth

A BEVY OF BEAUTIES: MEET THE THOLKES FAMILY

Published February 2015 By Shelbie Bostedt, Intern There is never a dull moment in the Tholkes household. With four girls eight-years-old and

“I DIDN’T THINK I COULD PARENT THE WAY I WANTED TO PARENT.” CASEY’S ADOPTION STORY

Casey became pregnant when finishing up college. She chose adoption in order to give her daughter the kind of life

JOURNEY OF HEALING: A BIRTH MOTHER’S STORY

Published February 2015 By Samantha Spengler, Intern For Bonnie Bartel, finding the daughter she placed through The Cradle 45 years ago

REBECCAH’S ADOPTION STORY

Rebeccah recalls how she announced her adoption decision to her friends Rebeccah describes her family’s reaction to her placement Rebeccah

ADOPTION: ANOTHER WORD FOR LOVE

Published March 2015 By Shelbie Bostedt, Intern Katie and Dave Bochenek both grew up in large families and dreamed of a

OUR MIRACLE: KATIE GRACE

Published March 2015 By Samantha Spengler, Intern When Maggie Oswald and Ken Paquette decided to pursue adoption to build their family,

DOUBLE DELIGHT: THE THOMPSON TWINS’ ADOPTION STORY

Published February 2015 By Samantha Spengler, Intern Sherece and Darren Thompson struggled with infertility for seven years before making the decision

“YOUR ANSWER IS YES!” JEREMY AND AMBER’S ADOPTION STORY

Published May 2015 By Maureen Kelly, Cradle Staff Sixteen-month-old Charlotte is one busy baby, as she has recently learned to

“I WAS 36 YEARS OLD…” CARRIE’S ADOPTION STORY

After Carrie’s son was born, she wanted to talk to someone about adoption – but getting information was difficult. Then

A CRADLE LOVE STORY

Published July, 2012 By The Cradle Staff Marcella Erickson is a resilient woman. Compelled by circumstance to leave home at

THE CRADLE’S FIRST OPEN ADOPTION

Published March 2015 By Samantha Spengler, Intern Susan Cahill was very familiar with The Cradle when she and her former husband,

SUMMER’S STORY

Published May 2015 By Samantha Spengler, Intern Summer was born in late December 2011 and lived with her birth parents for

FOR THE LOVE OF ALEX

Published May 2015 By Samantha Spengler, Intern Dave and Maggie Brown applied to The Cradle’s Sayers Center program in September 2010 and

CRADLE MOM WENDY ON WCIU’S “YOU AND ME THIS MORNING”

Cradle mom Wendy Willis went on WCIU’s “You and Me This Morning” with her two-year-old daughter Micah to discuss her

REMEMBERING BONNIE

Published Summer 2014 The Cradle and The Cradle Foundation mourn the loss of our dear friend and colleague, Bonnie Krasny,

LISA DISCUSSES ADOPTION IN THE AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY

Lisa discusses how there is a lack of adoption education in the African American community Choosing Adoption in the African American

CRADLE MOM JESSICA ON WCIU’S “YOU AND ME THIS MORNING”

Cradle Mom Jessica Murnane went on WCIU’s “You and Me This Morning” to talk about her experiences being a first

COMING HOME: JERRY JANES’ STORY

Published May 2015 By Shelbie Bostedt When Jerry Janes walked through the doors of The Cradle in May 1994, for

THE HARDEST CHOICE

Published October 2015 Heather Cange was a college student at North Park University in 1999 when she became pregnant. After

THE MORE THE MERRIER: TESS AND CARRIE’S REUNION STORY

Published August 2015 By Samantha Spengler, Intern The holidays are always interesting for Cradle adoptee Tess Berger. Her family has been

MAKING A HOME FOR MEKBIB AND MEKDES

Published October 2015 By Shelbie Bostedt, Intern When Megan and Timothy Boarini returned home to Chicago in August 2011, they were

Q&A WITH MEI KELLY, ADOPTEE: ON ADOPTION AND IDENTITY FOR TEENS

Published July 2015 By Samantha Spengler, Intern When adoptive parents think about discussing adoption with their kids, they usually picture talking

A BABY IN OUR ARMS: THE FINK FAMILY’S ADOPTION STORY

Last February, the Women’s Connections group from Kenilworth Union Church (KUC) held their monthly meeting at The Cradle. KUC, which

MEET SCOTT CARNEGHI: CRADLE BABY & ROCK DRUMMER

Published October 2015 By Shelbie Bostedt, Intern, and Samantha Spengler, Intern At The Cradle, no two adoption stories are ever the same.

COUNTING ON CAMERON

Published June 2015 By Shelbie Bostedt, Intern, and Samantha Spengler, Intern Adoption can be a complicated, emotional process. For Chelsea Armstrong and

ALL FOR ANABELLE

Written September 2015 Baby Anabelle was born August 2014 with a rare genetic condition called Aicardi syndrome. This disorder primarily

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