Hi! I’m Amy. I am a wife to Aaron, mother to Teague (7), Hadley (5) and Lawson (2), birthmother to Deanna (17), follower of Jesus, and lover of watermelon and crab legs. I come across as serious and reserved, but those close to me know that I am quite silly and don’t take myself too seriously. I often use inappropriate humor and sarcasm to deal with uncomfortable/awkward situations – apologies in advance for that.
In 2009, I started a blog about open adoption called Amstel Life. (Seemed like a good choice at the time. Amstel Light Beer Co apparently didn’t think so). Anyway, the blog was about my personal journey navigating life as a birthmother after placing my newborn daughter in an open adoption when I was 18. I enjoyed writing and found myself getting deeply involved in the conversation about openness in adoption. Writing was a big part of the healing process for me, and it felt rewarding to share my perspective on open adoption and provide insight about an alternative to abortion that people may not have considered or known much about.
Somewhere along the way though, between working full time, taking care of my three young savages, and well, life in general…I stopped writing.
Although “free time” now seems so fleeting and brief, I still feel a constant tug at my heartstrings to continue sharing my perspective on open adoption through writing. In addition to time constraints, perfectionism, at times, has prevented me from being able to share what’s really on my mind and in my heart. I’m not a perfect writer, but I believe when God calls us to do something outside of our comfort zone, it’s usually for good reason. I also believe it is an honor and a privilege to be able to use our gifts and talents to help others. So I’m dusting off the ole’ keyboard and getting a fresh start with my new blog.
My hope is to write authentically, share my birthmother perspective, shine a light on open adoption, and mix in a little humor along the way.
Thanks for following along!