Pop-up & Last-Minute Adoption Stories

Many adoptive families dream of adoption opportunities where they can slowly build a relationship with a prospective birth mother during her pregnancy. But, that’s not always the case.

Frequently, we present waiting adoptive families with last-minute and pop-up adoption opportunities where a child is already born or just days from delivery. It can be a whirlwind experience for first-time parents — but, as these parents will tell you, they wouldn’t have it any other way.

Prepare yourself for the possibility of a pop-up adoption by reading the stories of those who have successfully navigated these life-changing experiences.

Three Disruptions & One Pandemic - A COVID-19 Adoption Success Story

With three disruptions and one global pandemic, Mike and Paul had no idea what their adoption journey would throw at them next. It would all be worth it for one little boy named Quinn.

A Quick Turnaround - How Two Became Three in Just a Few Weeks

When Meg and Tanner went active with American Adoptions, they could only hope their wait would be short. But they could have never anticipated the speed at which their family grew — and the beauty in the process.

'Believing in the Universe' - How One Family Trusted in American Adoptions

After a long home study and application process, Sarah and Ken’s adoption moved much more quickly than they ever expected. Here, learn how they brought baby Bode into their life with the help of our agency.

'Out of Their Control' - One Family's Strength Through Birth Father Struggles

When Rick and Leslie were called about an adoption opportunity just three weeks after their activation, they thought the pop-up situation would be the biggest challenge. But, when the baby’s birth father threatened to contest the adoption, they found a faith they didn’t know they had.

And Baby Makes Two - How One Adoptive Mother Found Everything She Ever Wanted

Adoptive mother Kelli finally found the family she had been wanting when she adopted baby girl Iona. But, being a single parent and undergoing a pop-up adoption did come with some unique challenges and gave Kelli a new perspective.

Forgiveness and Family - One Couple's Long Wait for Adoption Success

In spite of a long wait including four disruptions, Kirk and Kristin are happy parents to two lovely adopted boys. They share their story about sticking it out no matter what.

Bringing Home Braxton - How One Family Trusted Everything Would Turn Out Right

Darla and Easton knew that adoption was the right choice for them — but weren’t sure what path to choose. Read about how they found American Adoptions and their little bundle of joy.

Taking the Next Step - Why One Couple Embraced a Pop-Up Adoption

Brad and Chemaine found themselves with an adoption opportunity one day after being activated with their agency. This is the story of how they met their daughter Layla.

All Worth It - Overcoming a Complicated Open Adoption

Communication challenges with their son’s birth family didn’t stop Jaime and Michael from a successful adoption. Bravely, they share their story here.

It Takes a Village - Why One Adoptive Couple Turned to Crowdfunding

Faced with depleting funds from fertility treatments, Tara and Jeremy took a sucessful leap into adoption — relying on community support through a crowdfunding campaign and help from their supportive families.

The Boy in Blue - How Two Cardinals Fans Adopted a Royals Baby

As the Kansas City Royals prepared for their first post-season game in nearly 30 years, Drew and Shandra made a mad dash from St. Louis to Kansas City. For these St. Louis Cardinals fans, it wasn’t baseball that brought them to the city; it was the arrival of their son Jase.

The Best Week of Their Lives - What Happened with One Family's Pop-Up Adoption

For some couples, the wait for a match can fly by in almost an instant. For Mike and Ashley, this was true; the match call also meant their son was already born.

Taking a Leap of Faith - Why One Family Adopted a 'Drug Baby'

When Kelly and Jim embarked on their adoption journey, they never imagined the leap of faith that they'd take to reach their son Mason. Initially, the couple had a more restrictive APQ, but with time, they opened up, even accepting heroin exposure in their son.

Worth the Wait - How One Family Survived a Long Matching Period

In 2000, an innocent blind date between two strangers named Eric and Elizabeth led to marriage and a baby boy named Henry. When Henry was 3 years old, the couple tried for another baby but was unsuccessful. After a long adoption wait period, they finally became a family of four.

A New Start - How One Couple Moved on from Infertility

Joe, Carlie and their 11-year-old son, Jalen, were sleeping soundly in a rented Manhattan apartment until 5:30 a.m. when their phone rang. Carlie quickly snatched the phone and answered it. Indeed, this was it - this was the phone call they had flown all the way from Kansas to New York City for.