Harden Jackson Law Founding Partner Michele Jackson Adopts from Africa

Carmel, IN, January 08, 2012 --(PR.com)-- For the past twelve years, Michele L. Jackson, founding member of Harden Jackson, LLC, has educated herself on the adoption process and helped many clients fulfill their dream of becoming parents. Recently, her professional expertise helped her realize that dream for herself. Jackson said, “For as long as I can remember I have wanted to adopt. In recent years, this desire tugged at my heart constantly. In my work, I had walked past thousands of orphans in desperate situations and I knew that one day I would personally adopt.” Her dream came true when she and her husband, CFO of WellPoint, Wayne DeVeydt adopted two beautiful baby boys from the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Having taught many seminars to adoptive parents and adoption professionals and attorneys, she thought she knew what to expect while adopting. While one personal adoption does not represent the entire spectrum of adoption experiences and outcomes, her empathy with the turmoil her clients have gone through in not having "control" of the process certainly increased. Despite her credentials, expertise and experience; she could not control all entities and aspects of the international adoptions process. Her experience and knowledge about “worst case scenarios” prepared her intellectually for the journey, but the worry, anxiety, excitement and love were profound nonetheless. The problems through which she had guided so many others were now her own. She had seen them, she had solved them, but personally dealing with them was another matter. She had to, as she had advised her clients over the years, simply relax, trust and pray.

Jackson adds, “International adoption has myriad unknowns, risks and delays. There are unsuccessful adoptions, delayed adoptions and difficult adoptions. However, I can say with absolute certainty that it is Worth It!”

Jackson works around the world placing children from many different countries. So, why choose DRCongo? Jackson explains, “I’d always had a personal view of my child as being from Latin America. My mind was changed as I walked through the orphanages in Congo. My heart was changed forever and so was the mental picture of my family.”

“The children of the world, from any country, are beautiful children of God. If you have the love to give to give an orphan, you also give hope within the larger human community. Without question, sharing your love and family with a child in need is worth all the amount of worry, concern and anxiety. I am the lucky one.”

A highly regarded legal authority in international family law and adoption, Michele L. Jackson is a founding member of Harden Jackson, LLC. She represents clients interested in domestic or international adoption, and those who are seeking alternative reproductive options such as gestational surrogacy.

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