In their own words...
My name is Teresa Hayes and my adoption Journey began November 19, 2004. I never thought that I would ever get adopted. At my age (at that time 15) I just knew I wasn’t going to be adopted no matter what. I knew no one wanted a teenager.
Before I met my mom and dad I was in a group home in North Carolina. I was first placed there in 2000 and was there a year. I had a family that wanted to adopt me and I was there for 9 months. After that period the family decided that I wasn’t what they wanted. They actually decided that they wanted younger children that they could shape and mold to their way of life. The family also decided that I was not like them so back to the group home I went.
I was at the group home for another 3 years and it wasn’t easy for me because a lot of people didn’t want to be at the group home including me. I would always ask my Social Worker if there was place I could live because I really wanted a family that loved me for me. One day my Social Worker asked me would it make any difference if I were to move to another state, I told her "no just as long as I had a family who loved and respected me for me".
Arrangements were made for my mom and dad to come to North Carolina. I met them at a place called Pizza Inn, and I wasn’t uncomfortable around them. They had a list of questions for me and I answered each of them the best I could. My mom asked me to ask them questions, but I couldn’t think of that many to ask. It just felt really right being with them. I knew that we were all supposed to be a family. A week after meeting them I asked what they wanted for me to call them. They told me whatever I wanted to call them and I just knew I couldn’t call them anything but "MOM and DAD".
That was October 2004, I went to live in Maryland December 17, 2004 and by October 4, 2005 I was their daughter. I now have a mom and dad who love me very much. I know this is not a dream and I couldn’t be happier.