I have been interested in becoming a mother for many years. After a period of self exploration, becoming an aunt (my nephews are age 9yrs and 6yrs), and supporting several close friends through the transition into
motherhood, I made the decision to move forward with adoption. I was diagnosed with premature ovarian failure (early menopause) at age 22 years, so I always thought adoption might be in my future. I believe that
becoming a parent is one of the most powerful and transformative experiences in life. I see it as an incredible way to contribute to the world.
My family has a beautiful culture of mothering. My mother is the second of seven children and I grew up very close to my aunts, uncles, and cousins. My mom was a single mom and she raised my sister and I with love and joy. My sister and I are very close, and I am very close to my brother-in-law and nephews. I am blessed to be a part of an incredible family that is very excited to support me in my journey towards motherhood through adoption. Now is the time because the stars align with my work, personal life, financial status, and my psychological readiness to pursue motherhood
About Michelle
Job: Founder, Rise Intently, LLC (health consulting company), Internal medicine and public health doctor
Hobbies: Hobbies include reading, enjoying live music, and bird watching
Fun Fact: My Grandmom and I recently started co-hosting a podcast called The 92% Now! My Grandmom is 97 years young and was born in 1929 in Danville, Virginia, a segregated town. She migrated to Philadelphia after graduating from a segregated high school because there were no Black colleges in her town and she wanted to work to save money for college in the future. She lived and thrived through the Great Depression, World War II, the civil rights movement, and the passing of her first husband at a young age, which led to her raising her seven children as a single mom. We have been writing letters to each other since I was in middle school. Now we are transitioning our life long conversation into an intergenerational podcast about the current state of the lives and priorities of Black women in America.
About Marley
8-year-old Bengal cat
Hobbies: Hobbies include scratching up shoes and couches, and chewing on house plants
Fun Fact: I became a part of the Morse family in 2018 when my first mom (Racquel) gave me to my new mom (Michelle). My brother (Hendrix) was attacking me, and Racquel decided that I needed a new home. Since I found my new mom, I have become very talkative and very friendly. I even know how to open all the doors and drawers in the entire house. Sometimes, I even open the drawers and take the clothes out and throw them on the floor!
About Jelly
Mixed breed small dog (15 lbs)
Hobbies: Meeting dogs and people in the neighborhood, Chewing on everything, and playing with bouncy balls
Fun Fact: During the summer of 2026 I was found wandering the streets of NYC and was brought to the Queens Animal Shelter. Thats when my new Mom (Michelle) adopted me – it was love at first sight! I love other dogs, kids, and people. Every time I take a walk in my neighborhood in Bed Stuy, I like to meet the children I see and I love to be pet by all my mom’s friends and family. Most of all, I love to eat!
My Life
We live in Bed Stuy, Brooklyn in a two bedroom two bathroom loft apartment on Bedford Ave that has amazing light, high ceilings, lots of plants, and two small patios. I have a room in my apartment that I have started preparing for the baby. It has lots of space, is right next to the washer/dryer and bathroom, and has the perfect space for a crib. Some of my days start early since I like to work out in the morning with my friend and I work as a doctor and public health leader. I enjoy live music several times a month, especially jazz and afro beats . I spend quite a bit of time with family and friends. Four of my best friends live within a 20 minute walk from my apartment, and two of them are parents, and they will be a huge help when the baby comes. I also own a home by the beach in Cape May, NJ which will be wonderful for the new baby. I spent two weeks at the home in Cape May recently and started mapping out walking routes for taking the baby on a stroll. I am grateful that I have full control over my schedule and can make time for the new baby, family and friends despite my work as a doctor and public health leader.
My Family
My mother and sister have been very involved and supportive of my decision to adopt. They have supported me through my journey of learning my diagnosis of premature ovarian failure, my very busy career, and the several year process of deciding to become a mother, and then deciding that adoption was the best fit and approach for me to do that. I could not ask for a more supportive team. My mother has been very involved in supporting my sister through becoming a mother, and is very involved in raising my nephews (her grandchildren). My mother and sister have both already stated in multiple ways that they are ready to come and support me when my baby arrives and afterwards. I hope that my nephews can be like brothers to my future child. I also have three aunts and three uncles who are very supportive and excited about my decision.
Finally, in Brooklyn I have four very close friends within a 20 min walk of me, all of whom are very excited to support me and my new child, and two of the four are new parents themselves. Some of the experiences I look forward to enjoying with my new child include reading to the baby (reading is one of my favorite things to do), bringing the baby to the homes of my mom, aunts, uncles and friends for relationship building and play dates, and going on long walks – both in the city and at the beach. It is a very high priority for me to cultivate a calm, peaceful, and relaxing environment for both the baby and myself. My mom worked very hard to create that when I was a child, and I hope to do the same.
Final Thoughts
For me, becoming a mother is about commitment, responsibility, love, and joy. I know the journey to motherhood will be unpredictable, and that building a family takes patience, sacrifice, and courage. I am prepared for the unknowns and feel that I have the resources and supports in place to be the best mother that I can be. I believe open adoption is the ideal way to do this, and I am excited at the prospect of welcoming a new baby into my home and building our family together.
-Michelle
