Call: 617-964-4357
Text: 617-777-0072
Virgin River Adoption Story
Fans of “Virgin River” enjoyed an emotionally-charged seventh season this spring. The hit Netflix series is centered around Nurse Practitioner Mel Monroe, who moves from Los Angeles to a remote Northern California town. The most recent season kicks off with Mel and her husband, Jack, planning to adopt Mel’s patient, Marly’s baby. It was a dramatic season with twists and turns that Hollywood is known to produce, but it is not an accurate portrayal of the adoption process in real life.
If you are considering adoption – whether to adopt or lovingly make an adoption plan – your first point of contact is an adoption agency. A reputable professional, such as Adoptions With Love, is a trusted resource that can assist you throughout the adoption process.
Understanding the Virgin River Adoption Storyline in Season 7
Who is Marley, and Why Did She Choose Mel and Jack?
In season 6, we meet a young woman named Marley. She is pregnant and planning to place her baby for adoption with a local couple. When the couple get cold feet, Marley turns to Mel. Trusting Mel as a great nurse practitioner and responsible, compassionate woman, Marley calls Mel to see if she and her husband, Jack, would consider adopting her son.
Complications With Birth Father Involvement
During season 7, Mel and Jack face a slew of challenges throughout the pregnancy and adoption journey. The couple is thrilled to be chosen by Marley for the adoption of her baby. Things get complicated, however, when her ex-boyfriend – the birth father – comes back into town.
Mel and Jack decide to give the birth parents some space while deciding whether adoption is the right path. Eventually, Marley and her ex decide that adoption is, in fact, the right choice and move forward with the adoption plan.
Medical Challenges
The season finale brings more drama for Mel and Jack. It is revealed that the baby has a congenital heart defect and would need emergency surgery after birth. Marley is induced the next day, with Mel serving as the midwife.
At the hospital, Mel runs into a former colleague. He explains the surgery in detail and promises the procedure will save the baby’s life.
The episode ends with the baby being whisked away into an ambulance to be transferred to another hospital for the required surgery. Jack is there with him, and Mel joins them at the last second. As the doors are about to close, she shouts, “Wait!”
“Are you his nurse?” a medical professional asks.
“I’m his mother,” Mel replies.
She sits in the ambulance, holding hands with Jack, as the ambulance doors close.
How Virgin River Adoption Reflects Real-Life Domestic Infant Adoption
The Role of Adoption Agencies and Legal Processes
In real life, a professional must be contacted for adoption. An adoption agency or adoption attorney must oversee this legal process. This ensures the adoption is safe and legal.
An experienced adoption professional like Adoptions With Love works to ensure that every aspect of the adoption process is handled properly. This organization can provide birth parents with adoption attorneys at no cost to them. The adoption attorney serves to assist both the birth and adoptive parents throughout the adoption process. This professional can walk both parties through the steps of adoption – including finalization – and answer any questions they may have along the way.
Birth Mother Support and Counseling
Another important reason to utilize an adoption agency is the supportive services offered. For expectant/birth mothers planning adoption, these services are free. In fact, financial assistance is available to those planning to place their baby for adoption.
At Adoptions With Love, expectant/birth mothers have access to the following supportive services:
- Housing costs. We can cover a deposit and several months of rent, as needed.
- Living expenses. Adoptions With Love can support other expenses such as utilities, phone bills, food, transportation, and even maternity clothes, as needed.
- Medical care. We can help you find a midwife or doctor with whom you trust, and cover any uninsured expenses related to the pregnancy and birth, reimbursed after the adoption is finalized.
- Counseling services. Expectant/birth mothers planning adoption are urged to seek counseling before and after the adoption. This service is free of charge and can help a birth mother work through the many emotions that come with adoption.
- Adoption planning. We can help you custom design and find the best family for your baby. We can help you make an adoption plan that meets your needs.
- Legal services. As mentioned, we provide birth parents with adoption attorneys who understand your state’s adoption laws and ensure you are informed about your rights.
- Ongoing support. We check in with our birth mothers for years to come, ensuring a smooth recovery period and positive future.
Making an Adoption Plan
An adoption agency can help ensure a smooth transition for everyone involved in the adoption process. This includes designing an adoption plan and ensuring all parties agree to the terms.
At Adoptions With Love, expectant/birth parents can choose from the following types of adoption plans:
An adoption plan is typically chosen by the birth mother. It is signed by both the birth and adoptive parents, to ensure a legal agreement is made, but may be edited over the years to accommodate the evolving relationships and changing needs of a growing child.
Learn More About The Types of Adoptions
What Mel and Jack’s Story Gets Right About Adoption
While the coordination of adoption planning may be far from reality, “Virgin River” does manage to capture the emotional reality of adoption. When it comes to having a baby – whether it is via adoption, surrogacy, or delivery – there are often emotions running high. The risks are at the forefront of every parent’s mind.
Birth and adoptive parents are often in a vulnerable place, worried about the impact and various factors that come into play when a new life is entering our world. There is much uncertainty regarding the birth and the potential of a change in plan.
Common Questions Prospective Adoptive Parents Have After Watching Virgin River
Can We Adopt a Baby Like Mel and Jack Did?
While adoption does not typically fall into place with a patient asking her midwife to become the adoptive parents, this is actually this is discouraged. A reputable adoption agency will have adoptive parents that have been through a home study and background checks. However, it is possible to find a match in an unexpected way. The best way to be placed with a child for adoption is to go to an adoption agency. Every prospective adoptive parent must complete the Home Study before adopting a child. With the support of an adoption agency, you can rest assured that your Home Study will be conducted so you can move forward in your adoption process.
What If the Birth Mother Changes Her Mind?
If a birth mother changes her mind – the adoptive parents are typically re-matched with another expectant/birth mother. At Adoptions With Love, adoptive parents pay one fee to cover every aspect of the adoption process, when their baby is placed with them. Adoptions With Love continues to work with adoptive parents until they have their baby.
How Adoptions With Love Supports Birth Mothers and Adoptive Families
Adoption is a lifelong journey that does not end with the signing of paperwork. Birth and adoptive families can rely on Adoptions With Love for support and care throughout – and beyond – the adoption process. Adoption attorneys and counseling services are a part of the journey. For birth mothers, living expenses and medical care are also a part of the services offered – and there is never a fee for birth parents.
Once the adoption is filed, birth and adoptive families can depend on Adoptions With Love to continue to offer support over the years.
How to Begin Your Adoption Journey
When you are ready, you may contact Adoptions With Love for obligation-free information. Call us anytime at (617) 964-4357, text (617) 777-0072, or contact us online. We can help you make an adoption plan or adopt a baby. We are here for you!