They Adopted a Baby Boy, Then Extended Extraordinary Grace to His Birth Mother

It was only a week after one couple adopted a baby boy that they decided to make another huge decision—involve his birth mother as much as they possibly can. For Chris and Jennifer Shoebinger, that meant staying in touch, sending hundreds of photos, and creating yearly binders that detailed everything the little boy learned and did. Showing that adoption is more than a blessing for adoptive parents, but also a gift for birth parents and children.

“I think the lesson we've learned is that sometimes we create barriers where barriers don't need to be,” said Chris. “And when we pull down those barriers, we really find love on the other side.”

Birth mom Shauna Austin was just 20 years old when she decided that the best thing for her baby would be to place him for adoption. She called him Riley and held onto him as long as she could, which was just 3 short days.

“I knew I would have him for a short time. So I made every minute count with him,” Shauna said through tears.

The Shoebingers Adopted a Baby

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Riley’s adoptive parents named him Steven. The adoption was originally closed, meaning Shauna would never have contact with him. However, the Shoebingers fought to make sure she received photos and updates on him. When she was ready, she came back into his life. He was 7 at the time.

“You know, you can't have too many people loving you, right? Why couldn't he be both of ours?” Chris said.

Steven is now 28, and he has stayed close to his birth mom since he was 7.

“I kind of got best of both worlds for sure,” Steven said.

“I was blessed beyond words,” Shauna said.

A Special Name for The Family’s Newest Member

Steven is now married and has a 2-year-old named Riley.

“Felt like that name was just supposed to be in the family,” Steven said.

Grandma Shauna, Chris, and Jennifer are all smitten with their grandson.

Grace Comes Alive Through Shauna and The Shoebingers

“She showed grace, and that's an easy thing to reciprocate,” Chris said about Shauna.

“I think we all put up walls, right, because we're scared, because we don't agree with someone else. But grace doesn't like to live behind walls,” Chris explained tearfully. “I mean, kindness is a sign on the doormat that says, ‘Welcome.’ But grace is that small print underneath that says, ‘Our relationship with you means everything and we are so blessed to have you and to know you.’”

What an amazing story of grace. Since it was a closed adoption, the Shoebingers could have easily kept that door shut or assumed negative things about Shauna. Instead, they fought to make sure she could meet her son if she wanted to. They showed her how valuable her gift was to them, opening their arms and giving her unlimited grace—incredible!

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h/t: CBS Mornings

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Michaela Gordoni is an avid reader and part-time globe-trotter. With a bachelor's degree in International Relations and experience in the non-profit world, she has a passion for people and reporting. You can check out her portfolio here.