36-year-old Christina Fisher from Florida, USA gently rocks her 6-month-old daughter, Abigail Lynn, to sleep. It's a bit miraculous that Christina is the one holding her daughter, because she actually decided to give her baby up for adoption before she gave birth. The soon-to-be mother was unemployed during her pregnancy, lived in an RV motorhome, and was afraid she wouldn't be able to care for her baby. But in the moments after giving birth, the whole situation changed.
Abigail was born on January 1st, 2016. The doctors immediately knew something wasn't quite right, the baby was born with a facial deformity that wasn't seen on the ultrasounds. When Abigail's would-be adoptive mother saw her for the first time, she cried out and deserted the hospital, clearly upset about the baby's appearance. Christina never heard from the woman again.
Christina took the hysterics of the adoptive mother as a sign that she should be the one to raise her child. "I just knew I could never give her up," she recalled. Unlike the adoptive mother, Christina was taken with the newborn who was born with something called Treacher Collins syndrome, which can affect the tissue and bone development of the face and ears.
Abigail is otherwise completely healthy and will lead a normal life, she'll just have to undergo some corrective surgery when she's a bit older. "There are doctors with Treacher Collins, and even a male model," said Christina. Christina splurged on a baby photoshoot for Abigail with the photographer, Oksana Peery. She posted the beautiful, intimate images on her Twitter account so all could share in her pure joy:
Christina is thrilled with her decision and that of the former adoptive parents. In her eyes, she birthed the most fantastic baby in world, a sentiment that is clearly shown in these magical photos.
Christina has demonstrated the mark of a true mother: unconditional love, no matter what. I think this story has ended in the best possible way. Despite the adoption hiccup, Christina and Abigail now get to be a part of each other's life. What a gift.