National Adoption Month

November is a month full of thankfulness… how appropriate is it that it is also National Adoption Month?! For our family, those two definitely go hand in hand.

What is adoption? Yeah, most people already know the answer to that but I did look it up in Webster’s 1828 Dictionary. This is what I found…

adopt

1. To take a stranger into one’s family, as son and heir; to take one who is not a child, and treat him as one, giving him a title to the privileges and rights of a child.
2. In a spiritual sense, to receive the sinful children of men into the invisible church, and into God’s favor and protection, by which they become heirs of salvation by Christ.
3. To take or receive as one’s own, that which is not naturally so; as, to adopt the opinions of another; or to receive that which is new; as, to adopt a particular mode of husbandry.

So, that is the true “definition” but adoption means something different to everyone. What does adoption mean to YOU? Have you adopted or know someone who is adopted? Maybe you, yourself were adopted. MAYBE you have a sibling that your family adopted OR your sibling was adopted by another family. To each, adoption means something different.

To Those Who Have Been Hurt…

To those of you who have had a bad adoption experience… failed adoptions or been adopted by parents who abused or neglected you… I am sorry. Very sorry. Adoption is NOT supposed to be that way. Some of you have been hurt by adoption. Adoption IS a gift and should be treated that way.

Some of you are birth parents who have suffered a tremendous amount of pain. Some of you were a part of a closed adoption which left you wondering and waiting for the day you could find your birthparent.

To Those Who Have Been Blessed…

Then there are those who have been beyond blessed by adoption. You are a parent who has taken in a child to be their forever mom or dad, you gave and received the most genuine love that is out there. Some of you sacrificed financial gain to give a home to a child in need. You have loved to the fullest extent even when it was hard.

Then there are those of you who have been adopted and realized the great love your adoptive parents have for you and the selfless act it took for your birth parents to place you in a loving home. Your love is rich for both your adoptive AND birth parents.

Oh, Birthparent…

To the birthparents out there that decided that you wanted your child to have more than you could offer. To the birth mom who carried a child nine months to place in the arms of another mom… I can’t even say how strong you are!

Our Family…

For those who don’t already know, our family was created through adoption. Our oldest son is almost 15 years old. He was given to us through adoption at birth just like our 10-year-old son was. Our daughter came into our home almost 3 years ago as a foster child. We adopted her this past January. Adoption is a passion of mine.

National Adoption Month…

This month, come back each day to read a little more about adoption. I will be sharing stories about our experiences and even have some guest writers who have experienced adoption from all different aspects! I hope to not only bring you “stories” but I hope that you can walk away saying that you are far more educated about adoption. Please be respectful in any comments made below. Remember that not every story is the same and there ARE some out there hurting because of adoption.

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