Okay, maybe not the best day ever, I’ve had some good ones. But it was an amazing day. If you recall, a few months ago, I girded my loins and approached the c-suite at my new employer to ask for adoption benefits. I had contacted the Dave Thomas Foundation and received a slew of helpful information and the beginning of a proposal for benefits that I could take to my employer. This was actually Tim’s and my first step before entering the world of fundraising for adoption.
I had worked the past 10 years at a company with phenomenal adoption benefits, and knew my new company didn’t have them when I took my current job. We thought this path was a route we wouldn’t take. This new employer offered more flexibility and time with our girls, and we thought that the girls would be our first and last children. We both misjudged how we would feel about wanting another child. We didn’t realize that adoption would be our path.
It was tough to go to each executive and ask for this benefit, especially as a new employee. I put together a proposal for an adoption benefit in November, and was told it would probably take them two weeks to consider. I followed up in two weeks, and they didn’t have an answer. I followed up again, and they still didn’t know. At that point, I assumed the silence was my answer. They weren’t going to be able to swing it. We’re a small company, so I could understand that.
So imagine my surprise when the CEO asked me to stop by his office after a meeting to touch base on a project. He told me, “We think what you are doing is a great thing, and we support you. I can’t say yet exactly what the benefit will look like, but we are going to add one in time for your adoption.” I started crying right then and there. Nothing like crying in front of the head of your company, right? What could be worse?
Later that week, we had our employee Christmas party (in January) and I was called to the front to receive a peer-nominated award. I was thrilled. To have my coworkers think I’m award-worthy in my first year is amazing. The CEO was presenting the award, so while I was up there, he announced that we were adding an adoption benefit. Everyone knows that Tim and I are trying to adopt and are fundraising. I couldn’t help it. I cried again, this time in front of the entire company.
Heck, if someone were to mention the benefit tomorrow, I’d probably still burst into tears. It just means so much to me, to us, to our family. It brings us worlds closer to holding our son in our arms, and it’s truly amazing that my company is willing to add this benefit. I don’t know if the benefit will reimburse us for some of the expenses or if it will included a paid leave for adoption. I just know that anything is better than nothing. It’s amazing and wonderful. Now, excuse me, I need to go cry some more…
Cancer Ever After 
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