A BIG thanks to all those who posted a story over this past month. I for one loved reading all of your stories and being reminded over and over what an amazing and unique experience we all have with our adoptions. If you would still like to share your stories with us, we would love to continue posting them. So send them our way. :)
Here is a link to a great blog with some good "what do you talk about" suggestions for meeting birth families and getting to know them a little better.
http://therhouse.blogspot.com/2010/11/what-do-you-ask.html
Again, thanks for all of your stories!
Monday, November 29, 2010
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Adoption: A Spiritual Experience
When people ask us about our adoption story, our first response is that it was so much more than an adoption story …it was a spiritual experience for us.
Like so many couples, we too faced difficult trials over the years following our marriage with infertility. Heartache, sadness, the emotional roller coaster of failed fertility treatments and overall trials of our faith…you name it, we probably experienced it during this phase of our lives as we desperately tried to grow our family. But like so many, we finally came to the conclusion through sincere fasting, prayer and several priesthood blessings that adoption was the path our Heavenly Father wanted us to be on.
In 2005, we began our paperwork with the LDS Family Services-Houston office. In the midst of completing the paperwork, a job opportunity and move brought us back to East Texas to live (where both Jody and I grew up) and our adoption file was transferred to the LDS Family Services-Dallas office as a result. We felt such love and support from the Dallas office during this time as we worked to complete our necessary adoption paperwork. They were amazingly supportive and attentive through the entire process. We were approved in early 2006 and added to the waiting list of adopting couples. It was an exciting time yet also a time where we had to put our trust in the Lord and know that He would lead us to our son or daughter someday if we would just be patient in His timing.
In June of that same year, we received a call from our adoption counselor with what he called a rather unconventional request. A birthmom had been holding on to our profile for some time and had requested to speak with us on the phone. Our adoption counselor explained that this was not normally something that was done and wanted to know if we were comfortable speaking with her. We didn’t think twice about it…in our minds, we really didn’t have anything to lose by doing so. At least it was an opportunity for us to talk with a birthmom, something neither of us had an opportunity to do prior to this. So the next evening we got a phone call from her. I remember Jody and I both being on separate phones in our house and my heart was pounding so fast as we began our conversation. We really had no idea what to expect and what she might ask us. Over the course of our conversation, she told us about herself and her family. How she had come to the decision to place her baby and that she had received our profile in March and for some reason, kept coming back to us in her search for adoptive parents. She explained to us that she had narrowed her decision down to us and another couple from a different adoption agency. We also learned that she was having a baby boy and was due at the end of August. We ended the conversation by telling her how much we admired her for her decision to place her child and encouraged her to pray about her decision and the feelings she had while she was on the phone with us. Jody told her that if she felt strongly after praying about it that she should place her son with the other couple, then that is what she should do. Our feelings would not be hurt because we wanted her to make the decision that she felt would be best for her son. We told her we were so grateful for the opportunity to speak with her and to get to know her better. And, after two hours talking, our conversation ended.
A few days later we got a call from our adoption counselor saying that the birthmom had more questions for us but that she had requested we meet in person. Again, he wanted to know if we were comfortable doing this. And once again, we didn’t think twice about it. We were ecstatic to have this opportunity to meet her in person. The next day we drove to Dallas to meet her.
I will never forget that day as long as I live.... when she walked into the room, 8 months pregnant, we were overwhelmed with love for this dear mother. The magnitude of her decision hit us both like a ton of bricks and we had to fight back our tears. We saw and felt firsthand the immense courage she had to put her child's needs above her own wants and desires. We weren't quite sure what would occur during our meeting, for we were under the impression she was still trying to make her decision as to who her son’s adoptive parents would be.
Within 5 minutes of sitting down with her and talking more about our lives...she very calmly said, "I have made my decision and I want you to adopt my baby." She then went on to say how she knew this the minute we got off the phone with her during our initial phone conversation (a few days prior); however, she had waited purposely to tell us because she wanted to see and feel our reaction in person when we heard the news. Tears of heartfelt joy and gratitude flowed freely at this moment--by all three of us. And despite the fact that we walked into that room on that day as strangers, we embraced each other as parents together --all three of us. It felt as if we had known each other long before this meeting.
We also had a chance to meet another special person on this day… a special lady who played an important role in all of this. For you see, our birthmother was not of the same faith as us; however, she became associated with our church after her mother joined several years ago. Soon after our birthmom found out she was pregnant, a dear sister (Jeannine) in her mother's ward befriended her. Jeannine, at the time, was serving as the liaison for the church and birthmothers in her area. Jeannine introduced our birthmom to LDS Family Services. Because our birthmother did not have adequate transportation or the financial means to travel to the Dallas LDS Family Services office on her own, Jeannine drove her (a 2 hour round trip) once a month...sometimes twice a month....to meet with the adoption counselor and look at prospective adoptive couple profiles.
We learned in our conversation with Jeannine that as they would make their drive to the Dallas office, our birthmom began to open up to her about the tough decision she had ahead of her. Jeannine would patiently and thoughtfully listen to her during these discussions and offer up counsel when asked.
What amazed us in our conversation with Jeannine was when she explained how she herself began to receive strong promptings from the Spirit that we were to be Little Man's parents. We (yet again) were humbled beyond words as we listened to her share this experience and the realization that both she and the birthmom had received powerful promptings from Heavenly Father about our son coming to our home.
What a reminder this was for us that God's hand is in our lives...sometimes when we don't even realize it. We will forever be grateful to Jeannine for listening and heeding the promptings of the still, small voice by continuing her Christ-like service to our birthmother.
Just one month after our son was born; Jeannine was called to be the Relief Society President in her ward and therefore was released from her calling of working with birthmothers. You might find it interesting to know also that during this time, our son’s biological mother was the only birthmother Jeannine had the opportunity to work with. We believe that she was called to serve in this role for one single purpose...to help Heavenly Father get our son to us.
On May 19, 2007, we had the tremendous blessing of having Jeannine, along with our son’s biological grandmother, join us in the temple the day he was sealed to us. It meant the world to us to have them both there to share this special moment with us.
Adoption is a path that is uncharted in so many ways...especially when you are experiencing it for the first time. We never imagined when we first began this journey that we would have the opportunity to become so intimately acquainted with our birthmother. Through this process, we were blessed to see and feel firsthand the deeply thoughtful journey she embarked on to select us as his adoptive parents.
It is our prayer that our son will come to know and understand as he grows older that she loved him dearly and this is why she chose adoption. We want him to know that his Father in Heaven’s hand was in his life from the very beginning, watching over and protecting him. How truly blessed we are to be his parents in this life and to be a forever family in the life to come. All blessings that came to us through the gift of adoption.
Like so many couples, we too faced difficult trials over the years following our marriage with infertility. Heartache, sadness, the emotional roller coaster of failed fertility treatments and overall trials of our faith…you name it, we probably experienced it during this phase of our lives as we desperately tried to grow our family. But like so many, we finally came to the conclusion through sincere fasting, prayer and several priesthood blessings that adoption was the path our Heavenly Father wanted us to be on.
In 2005, we began our paperwork with the LDS Family Services-Houston office. In the midst of completing the paperwork, a job opportunity and move brought us back to East Texas to live (where both Jody and I grew up) and our adoption file was transferred to the LDS Family Services-Dallas office as a result. We felt such love and support from the Dallas office during this time as we worked to complete our necessary adoption paperwork. They were amazingly supportive and attentive through the entire process. We were approved in early 2006 and added to the waiting list of adopting couples. It was an exciting time yet also a time where we had to put our trust in the Lord and know that He would lead us to our son or daughter someday if we would just be patient in His timing.
In June of that same year, we received a call from our adoption counselor with what he called a rather unconventional request. A birthmom had been holding on to our profile for some time and had requested to speak with us on the phone. Our adoption counselor explained that this was not normally something that was done and wanted to know if we were comfortable speaking with her. We didn’t think twice about it…in our minds, we really didn’t have anything to lose by doing so. At least it was an opportunity for us to talk with a birthmom, something neither of us had an opportunity to do prior to this. So the next evening we got a phone call from her. I remember Jody and I both being on separate phones in our house and my heart was pounding so fast as we began our conversation. We really had no idea what to expect and what she might ask us. Over the course of our conversation, she told us about herself and her family. How she had come to the decision to place her baby and that she had received our profile in March and for some reason, kept coming back to us in her search for adoptive parents. She explained to us that she had narrowed her decision down to us and another couple from a different adoption agency. We also learned that she was having a baby boy and was due at the end of August. We ended the conversation by telling her how much we admired her for her decision to place her child and encouraged her to pray about her decision and the feelings she had while she was on the phone with us. Jody told her that if she felt strongly after praying about it that she should place her son with the other couple, then that is what she should do. Our feelings would not be hurt because we wanted her to make the decision that she felt would be best for her son. We told her we were so grateful for the opportunity to speak with her and to get to know her better. And, after two hours talking, our conversation ended.
A few days later we got a call from our adoption counselor saying that the birthmom had more questions for us but that she had requested we meet in person. Again, he wanted to know if we were comfortable doing this. And once again, we didn’t think twice about it. We were ecstatic to have this opportunity to meet her in person. The next day we drove to Dallas to meet her.
I will never forget that day as long as I live.... when she walked into the room, 8 months pregnant, we were overwhelmed with love for this dear mother. The magnitude of her decision hit us both like a ton of bricks and we had to fight back our tears. We saw and felt firsthand the immense courage she had to put her child's needs above her own wants and desires. We weren't quite sure what would occur during our meeting, for we were under the impression she was still trying to make her decision as to who her son’s adoptive parents would be.
Within 5 minutes of sitting down with her and talking more about our lives...she very calmly said, "I have made my decision and I want you to adopt my baby." She then went on to say how she knew this the minute we got off the phone with her during our initial phone conversation (a few days prior); however, she had waited purposely to tell us because she wanted to see and feel our reaction in person when we heard the news. Tears of heartfelt joy and gratitude flowed freely at this moment--by all three of us. And despite the fact that we walked into that room on that day as strangers, we embraced each other as parents together --all three of us. It felt as if we had known each other long before this meeting.
We also had a chance to meet another special person on this day… a special lady who played an important role in all of this. For you see, our birthmother was not of the same faith as us; however, she became associated with our church after her mother joined several years ago. Soon after our birthmom found out she was pregnant, a dear sister (Jeannine) in her mother's ward befriended her. Jeannine, at the time, was serving as the liaison for the church and birthmothers in her area. Jeannine introduced our birthmom to LDS Family Services. Because our birthmother did not have adequate transportation or the financial means to travel to the Dallas LDS Family Services office on her own, Jeannine drove her (a 2 hour round trip) once a month...sometimes twice a month....to meet with the adoption counselor and look at prospective adoptive couple profiles.
We learned in our conversation with Jeannine that as they would make their drive to the Dallas office, our birthmom began to open up to her about the tough decision she had ahead of her. Jeannine would patiently and thoughtfully listen to her during these discussions and offer up counsel when asked.
What amazed us in our conversation with Jeannine was when she explained how she herself began to receive strong promptings from the Spirit that we were to be Little Man's parents. We (yet again) were humbled beyond words as we listened to her share this experience and the realization that both she and the birthmom had received powerful promptings from Heavenly Father about our son coming to our home.
What a reminder this was for us that God's hand is in our lives...sometimes when we don't even realize it. We will forever be grateful to Jeannine for listening and heeding the promptings of the still, small voice by continuing her Christ-like service to our birthmother.
Just one month after our son was born; Jeannine was called to be the Relief Society President in her ward and therefore was released from her calling of working with birthmothers. You might find it interesting to know also that during this time, our son’s biological mother was the only birthmother Jeannine had the opportunity to work with. We believe that she was called to serve in this role for one single purpose...to help Heavenly Father get our son to us.
On May 19, 2007, we had the tremendous blessing of having Jeannine, along with our son’s biological grandmother, join us in the temple the day he was sealed to us. It meant the world to us to have them both there to share this special moment with us.
Adoption is a path that is uncharted in so many ways...especially when you are experiencing it for the first time. We never imagined when we first began this journey that we would have the opportunity to become so intimately acquainted with our birthmother. Through this process, we were blessed to see and feel firsthand the deeply thoughtful journey she embarked on to select us as his adoptive parents.
It is our prayer that our son will come to know and understand as he grows older that she loved him dearly and this is why she chose adoption. We want him to know that his Father in Heaven’s hand was in his life from the very beginning, watching over and protecting him. How truly blessed we are to be his parents in this life and to be a forever family in the life to come. All blessings that came to us through the gift of adoption.
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Double the blessing
When Dan and I had been married 2 years, we decided we were ready to start a family. 20 months later I finally became pregnant, and we were blessed with our Tyler. I had just met with my obgyn to discuss infertility issues, but we hadn't done more than a round of blood work, when I got pregnant.
Knowing that it took a long time to get pregnant the first time around, when Tyler was 18 months we decided to start trying again. Well, 2 years and 2 moves later we finally met with a Reproductive Endocrinologist who could find nothing wrong with either of us. My official diagnosis was unexplained infertility and my options were to try IVF or wait and see.
We hesitated to try IVF due to some of my health issues, and opted instead to wait and see (after all, it happened once). This was in the summer of 2007. It was at this same time that we started looking into adoption.
Once we decided to begin the adoption process, it took several months to get our file complete. We began with LDS Family Services, and shortly after our approval (May 2008) were chosen by a birthmother. Unfortunately, she changed her mind just before the baby was born.
At the time I was devastated. This was something good, something we wanted for a very long time, and I didn't understand why we didn't get it. Throughout the experience I have had to learn to not only trust God, but trust his time table as well. The only thing that got me through was to realize that when it was time for our baby to join our family, he would find his way to us. (All along, I felt we would be adopting a boy.)
After several more months, we began to wonder if we should keep on this path. Then one day, in the fall of 2008, my mom called. It was one of those friend of a friend situations, and she gave us the name of a private agency in Utah. We felt they were an answer to our prayers. We liked LDSFS, but unfortunately it is hard to be placed with them simply because there are so many people that want to adopt and few babies to place. We thought this was a great way to increase our chances of being chosen.
We were approved by the new agency in January 2009. We were chosen by a birthmother in February, and yet again experienced a failed adoption.
Finally, comes June 2009. By this time we had been waiting 4 years to add to our family. We got a call from the agency asking if they could show our profile to a birthmom pregnant with twins. We agreed. (As a note, if we hadn't experienced that second failed adoption, I don't know if we would have agreed to twins. We had already paid our fee to the agency, and so it wasn't so overwhelming to come up with the twin fee. If we had to come up with the twin fee all at once, I don't know that we could have. I have to believe that everything happens for a reason.)
We felt so strongly that this was our time. These boys were meant to come to us. We sweated and prayed all weekend long though as the birthmother made her decision. Finally we got word, she had chosen us. The agency called us on Friday, she gave birth Saturday, we flew out to Utah on Sunday, and we met our sweet babies on Monday.
After one month in the NICU, we brought the babies home to Texas and have loved on them since. The adoption was made final December 21, 2009.
I don't have the answers to everything, but I do find it interesting to look back out our journey and have some insight as to why things happened. To get our path to cross with the babies, to have the timing of things line up, to get our finances to fall into place, everything just came together at the right time. At the time, every setback felt like the end of the world, but was actually just a fork in a path that was leading us to the end goal. I am so glad we finally got there.
Knowing that it took a long time to get pregnant the first time around, when Tyler was 18 months we decided to start trying again. Well, 2 years and 2 moves later we finally met with a Reproductive Endocrinologist who could find nothing wrong with either of us. My official diagnosis was unexplained infertility and my options were to try IVF or wait and see.
We hesitated to try IVF due to some of my health issues, and opted instead to wait and see (after all, it happened once). This was in the summer of 2007. It was at this same time that we started looking into adoption.
Once we decided to begin the adoption process, it took several months to get our file complete. We began with LDS Family Services, and shortly after our approval (May 2008) were chosen by a birthmother. Unfortunately, she changed her mind just before the baby was born.
At the time I was devastated. This was something good, something we wanted for a very long time, and I didn't understand why we didn't get it. Throughout the experience I have had to learn to not only trust God, but trust his time table as well. The only thing that got me through was to realize that when it was time for our baby to join our family, he would find his way to us. (All along, I felt we would be adopting a boy.)
After several more months, we began to wonder if we should keep on this path. Then one day, in the fall of 2008, my mom called. It was one of those friend of a friend situations, and she gave us the name of a private agency in Utah. We felt they were an answer to our prayers. We liked LDSFS, but unfortunately it is hard to be placed with them simply because there are so many people that want to adopt and few babies to place. We thought this was a great way to increase our chances of being chosen.
We were approved by the new agency in January 2009. We were chosen by a birthmother in February, and yet again experienced a failed adoption.
Finally, comes June 2009. By this time we had been waiting 4 years to add to our family. We got a call from the agency asking if they could show our profile to a birthmom pregnant with twins. We agreed. (As a note, if we hadn't experienced that second failed adoption, I don't know if we would have agreed to twins. We had already paid our fee to the agency, and so it wasn't so overwhelming to come up with the twin fee. If we had to come up with the twin fee all at once, I don't know that we could have. I have to believe that everything happens for a reason.)
We felt so strongly that this was our time. These boys were meant to come to us. We sweated and prayed all weekend long though as the birthmother made her decision. Finally we got word, she had chosen us. The agency called us on Friday, she gave birth Saturday, we flew out to Utah on Sunday, and we met our sweet babies on Monday.
I don't have the answers to everything, but I do find it interesting to look back out our journey and have some insight as to why things happened. To get our path to cross with the babies, to have the timing of things line up, to get our finances to fall into place, everything just came together at the right time. At the time, every setback felt like the end of the world, but was actually just a fork in a path that was leading us to the end goal. I am so glad we finally got there.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
A birth mother speaks
Adoption has changed my life. I found myself pregnant at a young age and I knew my life would never be the same. I grew up quickly and realized that I had to start making some very important decisions that would change my life and the life of my child. I chose to look into adoption with LDS Family Services.
The farther along I got in my pregnancy the stronger love and connection I felt to my baby girl. I knew that I wanted to give her the world. I wanted her to have a life that would bring her happiness and security. I loved her so much and I just wanted what was best for her and I knew that placing her with a stable family would provide her with opportunities in life that I could not give her. If I had loved her any less, I would not have been able to place her.
Now, four years later, I know that adoption was not only the right choice for my daughter but also the right choice for me. Since my adoption, I have seen the Lord’s hand in life guiding me and helping me find my way. I was able to move forward with my life and pursue my dreams. I have been blessed with the opportunity to go to college and further my education. I have also met an amazing young man and was married to him a year ago in the temple. Without adoption, I do not know that I would be where I am in life. Anna, my daughter, was no mistake, and I firmly believe Heavenly Father knew what He was doing when He sent her to me. I know that she is where she was meant to be and that her adoptive family is truly the family she was born to be a part of. Adoption has changed my life for the better.
Tara
The farther along I got in my pregnancy the stronger love and connection I felt to my baby girl. I knew that I wanted to give her the world. I wanted her to have a life that would bring her happiness and security. I loved her so much and I just wanted what was best for her and I knew that placing her with a stable family would provide her with opportunities in life that I could not give her. If I had loved her any less, I would not have been able to place her.
Now, four years later, I know that adoption was not only the right choice for my daughter but also the right choice for me. Since my adoption, I have seen the Lord’s hand in life guiding me and helping me find my way. I was able to move forward with my life and pursue my dreams. I have been blessed with the opportunity to go to college and further my education. I have also met an amazing young man and was married to him a year ago in the temple. Without adoption, I do not know that I would be where I am in life. Anna, my daughter, was no mistake, and I firmly believe Heavenly Father knew what He was doing when He sent her to me. I know that she is where she was meant to be and that her adoptive family is truly the family she was born to be a part of. Adoption has changed my life for the better.
Tara
Sunday, November 21, 2010
It was meant to be
Adoption has to be the best thing that ever happened to me to help me grow my family. I was unable to have children naturally and after experiencing many painful miscarriages even with in vitro fertilization, I turned to adoption. I knew there were so many babies that needed homes too. At the time, I had been trying for 11 years to have a child without success. My husband and I attended a seminar on foreign adoption because at that point I had many misconceptions about domestic adoptions. A week later, I was told about a baby and I contacted the adoption agency. I actually took care of this baby in the NICU and she and I bonded instantly. I got an interview with the agency the next week and the social worker said we could have her by the end of the week when we got all our paperwork in. Wow! It was so fast! I sent pictures to my family. My mom got her pictures a few days later and she passed away later that day from an asthma attack at age 47. I know Heavenly father's hand was in the timing of this baby coming into my life at this time after waiting for so many years for her. Since then my life has been forever changed for the better because of this sweet spirit.
A few years later, the agency called me and said, "Your daughter is going to be three this year. Don't you want another baby?" Of course I did, but I was just so thankful for the one I had been blessed with. We were expecting a girl a few months from then so I had some time to do the paperwork, but a few days later the agency called back saying there was a little boy just born and we could have him. I was so thrilled! I know these adoptions are not the typical waiting game everyone has to play. They are now 14 and 11, respectively.
With our third child, we waited and waited just like everyone else. The waiting seemed endless and often wondered when our baby was coming. But I know the right baby goes to the right family when the time is right. This past May we adopted our sweet baby girl, for whom we waited for what seemed like an eternity. Extended family here and abroad accept our children as much as they would biological children. I have no doubt that if I had been able to carry a child, they would have had the same spirits these have. Our family is meant to be the way it is and I couldn't love my kids with any greater love than I have for them. They know they are special, they are chosen. They were wanted so greatly by their parents. I am so grateful for adoption and how it helped my family. I cannot imagine going through this life without my dear, sweet children. I cannot recommend anything greater than adoption for bringing children into homes. It was meant to be.
Patty O.
A few years later, the agency called me and said, "Your daughter is going to be three this year. Don't you want another baby?" Of course I did, but I was just so thankful for the one I had been blessed with. We were expecting a girl a few months from then so I had some time to do the paperwork, but a few days later the agency called back saying there was a little boy just born and we could have him. I was so thrilled! I know these adoptions are not the typical waiting game everyone has to play. They are now 14 and 11, respectively.
With our third child, we waited and waited just like everyone else. The waiting seemed endless and often wondered when our baby was coming. But I know the right baby goes to the right family when the time is right. This past May we adopted our sweet baby girl, for whom we waited for what seemed like an eternity. Extended family here and abroad accept our children as much as they would biological children. I have no doubt that if I had been able to carry a child, they would have had the same spirits these have. Our family is meant to be the way it is and I couldn't love my kids with any greater love than I have for them. They know they are special, they are chosen. They were wanted so greatly by their parents. I am so grateful for adoption and how it helped my family. I cannot imagine going through this life without my dear, sweet children. I cannot recommend anything greater than adoption for bringing children into homes. It was meant to be.
Patty O.
Friday, November 19, 2010
Our Hope to Adopt
In June 2005, while Jacob was in dental school, we felt that it was now the right time to try to conceive. In the back of both of our minds though was the thought that it would be harder to get pregnant this time. It was difficult to go through the disappointment each month, especially when it seemed that all of our friends were having children, and we were not having our dreams fulfilled. After another exploratory surgery a few years later, we still did not know why I wasn’t able to get pregnant, leaving us frustrated and a little hopeless.
During Jacob’s dental residency in December 2008 I had another surgery; this time it was to remove cysts from my ovaries. At least that’s what I thought going into the operating room. When I woke up, Jacob told me that I actually didn’t have cysts, but that my fallopian tubes were swollen with fluid, a condition called hydrosalpinx. Since both of the tubes were blocked, the doctor felt it was best to remove them. It was hard news to hear, but at the same time, I was relieved to finally have an answer as to why I hadn’t been able to conceive.
Only a few days after receiving this diagnosis, Jacob was ready to move on to adoption, while I was researching in vitro fertilization. Jacob was very concerned for my health, and tired of seeing me go through so many tests and surgeries, and I was too. After several weeks spent studying both options and many, many prayers and tears, we both came to know that adoption was the way our children would come into our family. The relief I felt after making that decision is hard to explain. It really was like a burden was lifted off my shoulders. It brought peace to both of us. We were happy and hopeful and excited to get started with the adoption process. It took us quite a while to actually finish all the paperwork since we were in the middle of finding a new job and moving across the country. But after Christmas last year, we pushed through it and were approved in February. That was a joyful day!
I am grateful for the experience I’ve had of infertility because it has taught me so much patience and compassion for others going through similar trials. I know Heavenly Father has a plan for me, and he knows what is best for our family. I have come to understand the Atonement better and have grown closer to my Savior, Jesus Christ. I love him and know I can turn to him when I’m having a hard day. My husband and I are so excited to have our family grow through adoption and to welcome a little one into our home! We have already been blessed by adoption because of all the wonderful people we’ve met who have helped us along this journey. We also feel blessed by the hope adoption has brought into our lives, and are thankful we are privileged to be a part of it!
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
An Adopted Child’s Story
Madeline – Age 13
Being an adopted child is a blessing. Adoption can bring miracles to people, like my parents. Adopted children are no different than any other children; it’s just that we have two sets of parents. I was adopted when I was a newborn so nothing seems odd.
My parents wanted a child and Heavenly Father led and guided my birthmother to them. My parents are my parents and they don’t treat me any different because I look different. I am their child and they love me. I am Heavenly Father’s child and He loves me. My parents are such a huge and wonderful blessing to me and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I hope to someday be just like them.
I have thought about my birthparents many times. I remember from a young age asking my mom why I was brown and she and my dad were white. I also remember when I was around eight years old I started asking questions about my birthparents; like what did they look like and how could my birthmother give me up? I’ve had many talks with my parents and they have always told me how blessed they are to have me in their lives and how much Heavenly Father loves and cares for each of us. They told me it was natural to have a longing to know my birthmother more, and it is okay to have these feelings, they say it’s kind of like feeling homesick.
Over the years my mom has told me about my birthparents and has shown me a few pictures of my birth mom and birth dad. Now I often picture her in my mind and think about the day I will meet them both. I don’t know where or when but I will meet them; if not in this life then in the next, but I know I will meet them. I will always be grateful to them because I wouldn’t be who or where I am in my life today without the choice they made. I am also grateful to them for my sister who came from the same birthparents.
I love my Heavenly Father and I thank Him every day for putting me on this earth and leading my birthmother to my parents. I am very blessed to have them. I’m grateful for the opportunity to write this and express my feelings about my adoption. I love my parents dearly, and I’m grateful to Heavenly Father for putting me into a family who loves, cares and helps me every day of my life.
Adoption is one of my greatest blessings and it will always be!
Being an adopted child is a blessing. Adoption can bring miracles to people, like my parents. Adopted children are no different than any other children; it’s just that we have two sets of parents. I was adopted when I was a newborn so nothing seems odd.
My parents wanted a child and Heavenly Father led and guided my birthmother to them. My parents are my parents and they don’t treat me any different because I look different. I am their child and they love me. I am Heavenly Father’s child and He loves me. My parents are such a huge and wonderful blessing to me and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I hope to someday be just like them.
I have thought about my birthparents many times. I remember from a young age asking my mom why I was brown and she and my dad were white. I also remember when I was around eight years old I started asking questions about my birthparents; like what did they look like and how could my birthmother give me up? I’ve had many talks with my parents and they have always told me how blessed they are to have me in their lives and how much Heavenly Father loves and cares for each of us. They told me it was natural to have a longing to know my birthmother more, and it is okay to have these feelings, they say it’s kind of like feeling homesick.
Over the years my mom has told me about my birthparents and has shown me a few pictures of my birth mom and birth dad. Now I often picture her in my mind and think about the day I will meet them both. I don’t know where or when but I will meet them; if not in this life then in the next, but I know I will meet them. I will always be grateful to them because I wouldn’t be who or where I am in my life today without the choice they made. I am also grateful to them for my sister who came from the same birthparents.
I love my Heavenly Father and I thank Him every day for putting me on this earth and leading my birthmother to my parents. I am very blessed to have them. I’m grateful for the opportunity to write this and express my feelings about my adoption. I love my parents dearly, and I’m grateful to Heavenly Father for putting me into a family who loves, cares and helps me every day of my life.
Adoption is one of my greatest blessings and it will always be!
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