Whether we like it or not, trauma is present in adoption. In today's episode, you will hear us navigate and discuss trauma with care and compassion. Although we aren't experts in this area, we share a few ways we can honor and accept those with deep trauma wounds and scars. A couple articles that we found helpful: https://www.betterhelp.com/advice/…

Phil shares a very important part of his story. The fact that they are white parents raising a black son and a mixed race son. He shares how this experience has helped him learn and grow himself, and how he wants to help others learn and grow so that we can ensure a better future for all of our children. This is such an important topic that you won…

Thirteen years ago, Scott and Grace Naegle became the foster parents to 3 children, ages 2, 5 and 7. They thought it would be just a short term placement but it ended up being the beginning of their forever family. Listen as Scott, Grace, and their son, Tony, share their heartwarming story.Oleh Bridging the Gap with Love

So often in adoption stories, we hear the female perspectives, but hearing from the males in these stories is also important! Today, we will hear from Phil, a father of 3 boys. He shares his story on how his sons joined their family.Oleh Bridging the Gap with Love

Did you know that there are 115,000 children who are in the foster care system that are just waiting to go to their forever families? Marcy Bursac shares her passion to help others navigate the process of adopting through foster care. Her books and ways you can find her are posted below. Founder - The Forgotten Adoption Option USOA Mrs. Ohio 2022 *…

November is National Adoption Month! This month we are excited to spread the good news of adoption!Oleh Bridging the Gap with Love

In this episode, we reunite with Alex, but this time in person! We dive deeper into her story as a teenager and how it has lead her to this point in her relationship with Heidi.Oleh Bridging the Gap with Love

In this episode, we talk about the importance of healthy boundaries. They aren't meant to restrict us, but to create a safe space for everyone to be able to grow.Oleh Bridging the Gap with Love

This is a continuation of our interview with Heidi's parents. What has happened over the last twenty years? And how have they felt meeting Alex and her family? Listen to this episode as they continue to share their heart and gratitude.Oleh Bridging the Gap with Love

In this episode, we talk with Kevin and Tally Wyatt, Heidi's parents. They take us back 20 years and share their thoughts and feelings about finding out that their young, unwed daughter was pregnant. You will also hear them share their hopes and heartache of when they first met their Birth-Granddaughter, Alex. They open up about their reactions, an…

Danielle continues to share her story on today's episode. Because she has been through so much, so is able to help so many others. Her giving heart makes her so special. Danielle continues to share her thoughts on open adoption and her hope for the future with the girls. Jessica also shares how she feels about Danielle and the incredible gift that …

Danielle shares part one of her story in today's episode. She shares about finding out she was pregnant, with not one baby, but two! She shares her process of making the excruciating decision to place her perfect twin girls into the arms of another couple to raise. She talks candidly about what open adoption means to her and how the ability to see …

After our interview we kept on chatting, and we decided to just hit record. Listen as we continue to talk about grief, sadness, pain, but also happiness and gratitude.Oleh Bridging the Gap with Love

Jessica Thomson, Bradley's Birthmom, and Jessica Johns share their beautiful story. It's hard, it's real, and it's raw. But it's a beautiful story of love. You don't want to miss this highly anticipated episode.Oleh Bridging the Gap with Love

Get a fun, quick insight into Heidi and Jessica's relationship. Find out what has happened over the Summer with our own adoption stories. We share our insecurities, intense gratitude, and our deep desire to share the good news and potential amazingness of open adoptions.Oleh Bridging the Gap with Love

In this episode, Alex bravely shares her thoughts and feelings around being adopted, meeting new family members and gives advice for those in the adoption triad. Listen as tender moments between Birthmother and Birthdaughter are shared in this episode. You won't want to miss it.Oleh Bridging the Gap with Love

"Andrea was the Mom who was meant for Alex and I just think that you did the most amazing job. I mean, look at her...she's amazing." - Heidi Part 2 of Andrea's Story is real, and raw as feelings are shared between these two Moms. You don't want to miss this episode.Oleh Bridging the Gap with Love

Just over 20 years ago, Andrea longed to be a mother. Every ounce of her wanted so badly to have her own baby. 20 years ago, Heidi gave birth to a tiny, perfect baby. "I have chosen you to be the parent's of my baby." were the words written on a card given to Andrea and her spouse on the day that Alex was born. Listen to part 1 of Andrea's story on…

The grief of an adoptive mom and the grief of a birth mom are intertwining, but opposite sides, of the adoption love story. Love, loss, grief and pain combine to create beautiful, new identities for each mother.Oleh Bridging the Gap with Love

"Grief, painfully, gradually carves space for you to feel more love, compassion and joy, and in turn, creates a well for you to draw from to pour into others. That's grief. It's painful, but it's also beautiful." - Jessica Johns Join us in this first episode about Grief, and what it means to us in the adoption world.…

Guest Jared Johns talks about his journey with male infertility. "The measure of a man is not really by the number of his offspring....I feel like there is a better metric to determining masculinity than by whether or not they are able to produce offspring." In this episode, hear from Jared about how he felt when he found out that he was infertile,…

How can we better support the Birthmothers in our lives? In today's episode, we talk about how we can be a good support system to those Birthmothers in our lives.Oleh Bridging the Gap with Love

Have you ever wondered how communication works in an open adoption? In today's episode, we tackle how to have healthy communication, what platform to communicate on, and the importance of being willing to work through the awkwardness. Our IG is @bridging.the.gap.with.love Email us at bridgingthegapwithlove22@gmail.com…

This is Part 2 of our Frequently Asked Questions episodes. In today's episode we tackle these questions: "Are you ever afraid that your children will want to go live with their Birthmoms?" "How did you deal with the judgments of others regarding your pregnancy and placement?" "What do you think Birthmoms are looking for in Adoptive Couple profiles?…

In today's episode, we answer some frequently asked questions regarding our own experiences with adoption. Is it hard to see Alex? Were you afraid that you wouldn't love your children as much as you would if you had them biologically? Did you name Alex? Get the answers to these and more on today's episode.…

Why does positive adoption language matter? Listen as we have a conversation about the language we use to honor everyone in our adoption stories.Oleh Bridging the Gap with Love

Is open adoption confusing for the child? Is open adoption similar to co-parenting? Listen in as we dispel some more common misconceptions about adoption. Referenced: https://www.americanadoptions.com/blog/does-open-adoption-confuse-kids/ https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s43545-022-00339-2Oleh Bridging the Gap with Love

Media has portrayed Birthmothers and adoption in a way that has lead to several myths. Today, we are going to dispel some of the most common misconceptions. Is placing your baby for adoption the "easy way" out for an unwanted pregnancy? Does a Birthmother ever "get over" or move on from placing their baby? Are all Birthmothers teens with substance …

Finding out we would be unable to have children two years into our marriage completely blindsided and devastated us. While dealing with loss, we gained the ability to become parents through adoption. Here's our story of building our family. -JessicaOleh Bridging the Gap with Love

Finding out I was pregnant at 18 was difficult. Deciding to place my baby for adoption was excruciating, but I still knew that it was the right decision. It was because I loved her. This is our story. -HeidiOleh Heidi Brower

This first episode shares why this project is so important to us. We are a Birthmom and an Adoptive Mom, excited about sharing our stories, while hoping to help support other Birthmoms, potential Birthmoms, and anyone navigating the delicate relationships surrounding adoption. Email us at bridgingthegapwithlove22@gmail.com Find us on IG at @bridgin…