Right now, I'm on my way to meet a woman named Jen.
Jen adopted her daughter Eliana eight years ago,
and she wrote in to the show to tell me
about the incredible relationship she
has with Eliana's birth mom, Krystle.
Their story is amazing and I can not
wait to surprise these ladies with an experience they're
going to remember forever.
I'm telling you, you're going to be jealous.
What?
[LAUGHTER]
11 years ago, Ellen made my dreams
come true by giving me my first ever job right here
on the Ellen DeGeneres Show.
We want to offer you a job here.
And now, I'm paying it forward by helping
some very special Ellen fans do incredible things
for the first time ever.
This is Life's First Evers, presented by Dove Ice Cream.
I'm Jen, and I am a mom.
My husband and I have been married for 13 years
and we have two beautiful children,
Eliana who is seven years old, and Elijah,
who is four years old.
We pursued having biological gifts for a year and a half,
and at that point, a doctor sat us down and told us
that we were each the most infertile people that he
had ever met.
And I even had to process that we may never have children.
And I fully was able to grieve and let go of my ideas
of what my family was supposed to look like.
So I fell in love with adoption.
It was this, just, collision of people and circumstances
where we were able to come into contact with Krystle.
Hi, my name was Krystle.
I am Eliana's birth mom.
I have two kids, and I work two jobs at two elementary schools.
And so at that time when I found out
that I was pregnant with Eliana, I
was struggling already with two small children.
Getting back and forth to work, trying
to keep food on the table and clothes on their back,
I just knew that another baby, at that time,
I was not going to be able to take care of them.
It was the hardest thing I had ever had to do.
I mean, it's still hard till this day,
but I know she's happy with a mom and dad that
love her and take care of her, and the best part
is that I can still see her.
Krystle is an incredible woman.
For somebody to be willing to put their own needs
and wants aside for the better of another person,
she deserves the world.
The day that Eliana was born was the best day of my life.
I remember the moment that Krystle placed her in my arms,
and I just looked at her and I was in love.
I knew in that moment that all of the weight, all
of the pain that we experienced during that wait was worth it.
To hold her, I knew it was worth it.
Krystle gave me the gift of motherhood,
and I will never be able to repay that.
But to even give her a token of that back
and be able to watch her enjoy her family carefree
would mean the world to me.
So one of the things I want to do with my kids
is go on vacation.
I've never been on a plane, so just
to take a trip with my kids, that
would be the opportunity of a lifetime.
Hello, ladies.
Oh my gosh.
It's so good to see you guys.
You must be Eliana.
Quite gorgeous.
I have heard a lot about your story.
Why don't we go head inside so I can hear some more?
Sure.
All right, let's go.
Come on ladies.
I've been working at the show for 11 years,
and this is one of the most unique, loving letters
I had ever read.
You guys, I mean truly, are a family.
You hear and you see and you feel the bond between you two.
It's genuine, sincere, true.
I mean, it's been eight years, so we talk every day.
I'm just glad she's part of my world.
Your relationship is something that
just needs to be celebrated, and so here's the thing.
We are sending both of you and your families to Hawaii.
What?
[LAUGHTER]
You're going on your first vacation.
Shut up.
I'm being totally serious.
No, you're serious?
I'm being totally serious.
We're going to Hawaii.
Oh my god.
Oh my gosh.
Oh my god.
I can't even believe it.
I am--
It's a dream come true.
--total shock.
It hasn't hit me yet, but I can't wait to go with my kids.
At the airport and we're getting ready to get on a plane.
Let's do this.
Are you excited?
Yeah.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
First time ever.
We are going to take off.
Are you ready?
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Welcome to the Ka'anapali Beach Hotel.
Aloha.
Oh my god you guys.
You're on your first vacation right now.
We are in Hawaii.
To the beach.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
So pretty.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
If there's one thing I love more than the beach, it's ice cream.
You don't have to be a kid to enjoy ice cream.
Excuse me, can someone remind me how this is my job?
[MUSIC PLAYING]
I never thought my first vacation would be in Hawaii.
When I wrote in, I had not in a million years
imagined actually hearing back, and then now being here
and being able to experience this all with her
and then watching her enjoy her children without any cares.
I mean, her and Brian, I mean they showed up.
They showed up at the right time.
They became my family.
Don't mind me, I'm just crying here.
Family is not blood, but family is who you love
and who loves you back.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Hawaii.
Aloha.
Jeannie, you made something possible for me
and my family I don't think anyone else could have done.
We love you.
So you're saying that I'm part of the family now too?
All right.
You've been adopted into the family.
Yes.
You need to enjoy the rest of your vacation, OK?
We will.
I'm going to go home.
Send me some pictures.
Oh yeah.
Yes.
Oh yeah
And I just love you guys so much.
Thank you.
[MUSIC PLAYING]