In alignment with Adoption Awareness Month, we are honored to share the story of Becca Graham, a former FIT4MOM franchisee whose journey through adoption has profoundly shaped her life and role within the FIT4MOM Fort Worth community. Becca’s experience as a mother through adoption highlights the complexities, joys, and unique challenges that come with this path to motherhood.
Motherhood, Adoption, and Community
FIT4MOM x Becca Graham
The Start of Motherhood
Becca’s journey into motherhood began unexpectedly. “Our oldest son was born when I was only 22 years old,” Becca shares. “Fresh out of college, getting pregnant a few months after getting married was never in our plans.” Like many families, Becca and her husband quickly learned that parenthood doesn’t follow a neatly laid-out plan. Over the years, they expanded their family unexpectedly, opening their hearts and homes to foster care and adoption.
Becca and her husband’s family now include their 12-year-old biological son, an 11-year-old daughter adopted through foster care, a 9-year-old boy who joined their family via guardianship, and their 8-year-old biological son. “Although I thought my career path would lead me to social work, instead, I’ve had the privilege and joy of being a FIT4MOM franchise owner for the past eight years,” Becca says, reflecting on her role within the community.
The Foster Care Experience
The decision to foster came naturally for Becca and her husband. “We were both aware of the need for safe foster homes in our community and thought, ‘why not now?’” Becca explains. “Since I was already home with our son, we decided to become certified foster parents.” Their foster care journey began quickly. “The day after we completed our certification, we received a call for a short-term placement. A premature baby came into our lives and unexpectedly became our daughter 18 months later.”
This experience reshaped their family and their approach to motherhood. “With each addition, it felt like becoming a new mom all over again,” Becca recalls. Whether awaiting labor, the arrival of a child from Child Protective Services, or welcoming a child on an airplane, the emotional landscape was always filled with a mix of fear, insecurity, gratitude, and awe.
The Emotional Landscape of Adoption
Adoption, Becca notes, is a complicated journey. “An adult adoptee in a local group recently described adoption as ‘beautiful, traumatic, and complicated,’ and I couldn’t agree more.” She shares that her goal as an adoptive mother is not to replace her children’s biological parents but to honor them. “We can hold the ‘what ifs’ and reality simultaneously, knowing that Z and M would be living with their biological families in a perfect world. For various reasons, they live with us instead, and we embrace this journey with all its complexities.”
Becca acknowledges the deep emotions tied to adoption, noting, “Adoption stems from loss.” This loss, she emphasizes, isn’t always visible to the outside world. “There’s a misconception that infants adopted at birth don’t experience loss because they don’t remember their biological family,” she explains. However, growing research shows that separation at any age can cause trauma. Becca encourages others to approach adoptive families with sensitivity, saying, “A simple, respectful inquiry like, ‘Tell me about your family,’ allows the family to share what they feel is appropriate.”
Advocacy for Foster Care Adoption
In sharing her story, Becca hopes to advocate for the many children waiting for permanent homes through foster care. “I encourage those interested in adoption to consider being matched with a child in foster care whose parents' rights have already been terminated or relinquished,” she says. These children, she explains, are often in desperate need of stability and love, and the outcomes for those who age out of the foster system can be dire. “If you have the capacity in your heart and home, you could be the support a child needs to thrive into adulthood and beyond.”
If you’ve ever considered adoption or foster care, Becca’s story is a powerful reminder of the love, commitment, and strength it takes. No matter the path to motherhood, every journey deserves recognition, and every family deserves support.
A Community of Support
Becca’s journey into adoption and foster care has been met with support from the FIT4MOM community. “I am thankful to be part of the FIT4MOM community that embraces my family and motherhood journey,” she shares. “I want all moms to know that even if their experience of motherhood looks and feels different, they are not alone. There is always a place for you at FIT4MOM.”
In sharing her heartfelt story, Becca reminds us all that motherhood takes many forms, and every journey is worth celebrating. We are privileged to have Becca as a part of our village, and we send her and her family all of our love and support. All moms need a village; we’re grateful to have her in ours.
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