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Three Byrds in the Nest: An Adoption Story

“Adoption – because family isn’t made from blood, it’s made from love.” — Unknown

Just because a dream is deferred does not mean it is denied. And for GM Financial AVP Kim Byrd, National Adoption Month is the perfect time for her and her family to celebrate the dream she’s always had to be a mom.

For Kim and her husband, Rick, being parents was always part of their plan. Married for 21 years, the couple, like so many, tried for several years to conceive. And after many prayers, they decided to expand their family through adoption.

“We felt in our hearts that this was God’s plan for us,” Kim shared. “And all three of our children are adopted.”

Three Byrds in the Nest

Parents to 16-year-old Hayden and 14-year-old twins Alice and Grace, the Byrds love to share each of the unique stories behind their children’s adoptions and how they navigated two very different processes.

For Hayden, the Byrds had an open adoption. This is where the birth parents can maintain contact with the child or children after the adoption. Depending on what the birth family and adopted family agree to, this could range from frequent in-person visits and photo exchanges to emailed updates on development and accomplishments.

“Hayden knows who his birth parents are and has seen his birth mother many times,” said Kim. “She allowed us to be present when he was born.”

At the request of their daughters’ birth parents, Alice and Grace’s adoption was closed. Unlike an open adoption, adoptive parents know little about the biological parents, and there is no contact with the child or children after they are adopted.

Though their adoption was closed, like their brother Hayden, the twins have always known they’re adopted.

“We have shared what we know, which is that their birth mom came [to the U.S.] from Honduras, and their birth father is Hispanic from North Texas,” said Kim. Alice and Grace were both in the NICU after being born at just 33 weeks gestation, but Kim and Rick brought them home once they were released from the hospital.

Answering “the call”

Kim shared that each of her children loves hearing the story of how their parents got “the call” that they were available for adoption. She and her husband still chuckle at how she found out they had been matched with their daughters.

“The funniest is for the girls! I was at a birthday party at the zoo with fellow AmeriCredit employees.  Hayden was 2 years old,” recalled Kim. “I got the call while all the kids were petting some reptile, and I literally threw Hayden to my friends and ran out of the room, totally forgetting he was petting some lizard! We were not expecting to be matched so quickly.”

Adoption is a huge life event and can bring forth many emotions as families wait to officially adopt. Kim and her husband were supported throughout by a network of support groups, family, friends and fellow adoptive parents. Kim’s grandmother is Hispanic, and she has always celebrated Hispanic culture in her home, which has helped her daughters be fully immersed in their heritage. The Byrds also sponsor a child in Honduras who shares details about life there, providing the girls a look into that part of their culture.

Three words on adoption

Like many parents, the Byrds have dealt with the recurring thoughts of “am I doing this right?” with their children. And again, like many parents, they simply can’t remember — or imagine — what their life was like before they became parents.

As for anyone considering adoption, especially an open one, Kim has just three words.

“Go for it,” she said. “And be open! It’s crazy how it all just works out. There is a lot of fear around open adoptions, but there shouldn't be.”

Becoming a parent is an exciting and life-changing event, and more and more companies are beginning to recognize the importance of parental leave to encourage family bonding in the case of adoptions. This is why GM Financial has extended its parental pay to 12 weeks paid time off (PTO) for both the birth or adoption of a child. This parental pay benefit is effective on the first day of employment for GM Financial team members. 

By Katrina Lewis, GM Financial

A fan of suspense novels, food trucks and pop culture, Katrina Lewis is passionate about writing to educate and inform, especially when it comes to finances and customer options when leases or contracts are ending. A “boy mom,” Katrina loves playing monster trucks with her son, random day trips and venturing out to various festivals with her family.