Adoption Awareness Month- A Disclaimer

I’ve been really looking forward to doing some posts about adoption as part of Adoption Awareness Month.  I’ve got TONS of ideas, so much good information to share, and hopefully some collaborations with other voices you need to hear.  But before we begin, a little disclaimer-

I’m going to talk about adoption from MY perspective.  I don’t represent an agency, I’m not an “expert”, and I can’t speak to each individual situation.  I know there may be things I say that you won’t agree with.  I’m okay with that.  Nobody has to agree with me, but this is my format to share what I’ve learned.

So why listen to me?

Adoption is my passion.  It’s what I live every day.  It’s the books I read, the documentaries I watch, the trainings I attend, the conversations I have, the blogs I follow.  I am a researcher by nature and adoption has become my topic of choice.  Even though we wouldn’t qualify for most international adoption programs anymore, I still read through agency websites to see what programs are opening and closing in the adoption world.  When somebody has a question about adoption, even if it’s not a topic that directly applies to my situation, I love to try and help them find an answer.  This has been a focus for me for the last eight years since Brian and I started having adoption conversations and even before then as I nannied for a family with an adopted child, had a college friend who was a birthmom, and grew up with adopted friends and family members.  As long as I can remember it has been a subject that has fascinated me and if my childhood doll collection is any indication, I may have always known that my family was going to have some more color in it.

For the last decade my life has revolved around learning how to best love and care for kids in need of families.  For five years Brian and I were houseparents at a group home and during our time there worked with 17 boys.  We adopted our oldest from Liberia in 2007 and then left group home work.  We became licensed foster parents shortly thereafter and have been foster parenting and advocating for foster kids ever since.  This included the adoptions of our two kids through foster care (one in an open adoption, one in a closed adoption).  Giving birth to our fourth child has also given me a new perspective on the role of birthparents and the unique role of genetics and prenatal environment for each of my kids.  All I read and learn about adoption is intensely personal to me and I feel an obligation to be as informed as possible.

So feel free to contribute your thoughts and questions because I’m always anxious to learn more!  I can’t address every situation and my thoughts and perspective are purely my own, but let this be a starting point for your own research and an invitation to think more about the issues involved in adoption.