Motherhood has a way of finding us when we least expect it. And for one nurse in Brighton, Massachusetts, it came in the form of a beautiful baby girl named Gisele. Liz Smith, a devoted mom, adopted Gisele after the premature baby spent five months in the hospital without a single visitor. This heartwarming adoption story is one that Smith is now sharing with the world.
It all began in 2016 when Gisele was being treated at the neonatal unit of the hospital where Smith worked as the director of nursing. As she was walking to the elevator one day, Smith caught a glimpse of a little girl with bright blue eyes and a brown curl framing her face. She couldn’t help but ask about this “beautiful angel.” The nurse replied, “Her name is Gisele.”
Gisele had arrived at the hospital five months prior as a ward of the state. She was born prematurely, weighing only 1 lb. and 14 oz., and was suffering from neonatal abstinence syndrome. This condition occurs when newborns must withdraw from drugs they were exposed to in the womb. Despite receiving specialized treatment for her condition, Gisele had never left the hospital.
Smith quickly discovered that Gisele was in need of a loving foster family to help her catch up on her developmental milestones. Surprisingly, not a single visitor had come to see the baby girl during her time in the hospital. Determined to make a difference, Smith made up her mind. “I’m going to foster this baby,” she told herself. “I’m going to be her mother.”
For Smith, the desire to become a mother had always been there. But life had taken its own twists and turns, and she had not yet found the path to parenthood. Inspired by her mother, who was a pediatric nurse, Smith wanted to follow in her footsteps. However, tragedy struck when her mother passed away from liver cancer. This loss deepened Smith’s resolve to lead a selfless life in honor of her mother.
As Smith entered her 40s, she began to feel the pressure of society’s expectations regarding family and motherhood. She believed that there was a predetermined order of how things should unfold. But despite her efforts, including several rounds of IUI, she was unable to conceive. The disappointment was crushing, especially when she found out that she couldn’t undergo in vitro fertilization due to changes in her lab results.
However, when Smith laid eyes on Gisele, all of that faded away. There was an instant connection between them. “Since the moment I met her, there was something behind her striking blue eyes capturing my attention,” Smith said. “I felt that I needed to love this child and keep her safe.”
Determined to make Gisele part of her family, Smith wasted no time in initiating the process of becoming her foster parent. While waiting for the paperwork to process, she visited Gisele every day after work. She would sit by her crib, speaking softly and letting her know that she was not alone.
Finally, the day arrived when Smith’s dream became a reality. She officially became Gisele’s mother. Today, they share an unbreakable bond, filled with love, joy, and the promise of a beautiful future.
Smith’s journey to motherhood proves that sometimes, the most meaningful things in life come to us in unexpected ways. It’s through love and determination that we can create our own unique family. And for Smith and Gisele, their story is a shining example of the power of unconditional love.
