[kakuehl]

Jason,

You and your girlfriend need to decide what's best for you and your child. I chose to place the son born my senior year in college for many of the reasons you listed. My parents were married in his senior year of college and I was born the next year when he was doing postgrad work. He went on to med school the next year. They lived on borrowed money and Mom was pregnant with number four when he graduated. (I don't recommend the rhythm method of birth control!) I tell this story to say that it is possible to keep the child and do well NOT to say it's the decision you should make!

As the others have said, choosing adoption is a decision that will effect you for your entire lifetime. Thirty-seven years after I placed D for adoption, I still believe it was the right decision. Mine of course was a closed adoption and I can't even contemplate the landmines of a relative, open adoption.

Keep us posted! This is a great place for support.