I. AM. ADOPTED.
It is who I am. Anytime have to tell a group something unique about me I ALWAYS say “I am adopted!” While most people I am close to already know my Adoption Story, I do love sharing it because it let’s people see a store of adoption with out trauma or loss.
November is National Adoption Awareness Month so it is a perfect time to bring you my Adoption Story.
My parents {adoptive} are my only parents. I am the product of a closed adoption – the ONLY option in 1983. My birth mother was *only* 13 when she conceived me – 14 when I was born. Her parents and her decided that it was best at her age to place her baby for adoption rather than becoming a teen mother or abortion – both that I am obviously thankful for.
I was placed in Foster Care for about 2 weeks right after birth – at that point my parents {adoptive} got the call – “We have a daughter for your family”. Can you even imagine that phone call? Amazing. A couple days later I was brought to my HOME. My only Home with my parents.
I do not remember the day that my parents told me I was adopted and it honestly never was a big deal. It was something I knew about but wasn’t embarrassed about or worried about in the least. In fact, I remember telling people in elementary school that I was adopted. It was something that was me.
Growing up I was never one that wanted to seek out my birth parents – I knew that my birth mother was VERY young and made a heart wrenching decision and felt that if I was her – I would want to forget that little baby that I took care of for 9 months. I have a deep respect for that woman – at 13 I would have never had the maturity that she did. A gift that she gave my parents {adoptive} that is priceless for everyone involved.
So here we are – I am 30 now. My birth mother is 43. I hope that she grew up happy and healthy and was able to have more children of her own and give them a life better than what she would have been able to give me at 13 years old.
Adoption is powerful.
I sit and think about having children and trying to think about having that child and then wrapping him or her up and handing her off is unfathomable to me. But with out people like my birth mother – so many willing, loving, caring, and healthy women and men would never have the opportunity to have children to love and care for.
While I see the happy side of adoption because of my story – I often think about the other side. The women and men that place their children for adoption are powerful, strong, courageous and miracle makers.
Thank you to my birth mother for being so strong. You made my life better than I could have ever imagined. Thank you…
So during this month of awareness – send prayers and thoughts to everyone who is dealing with adoption right now.
All sides. The side of the pregnant woman who knows she is making the right decision but is tearful, the side of the family who desperately wants a child and cannot wait for THAT CALL, the side of the adopted person who might not be comfortable with the idea of being adopted and lastly the thousands of children (old and young) who need a FOREVER home.
If you have an Adoption Story please let me know – I would love to share your story too!
Love you!
Holy moly – i knew that you were adopted, but nothing about your birth mom. Wow!!! Thank you for sharing!
What an amazing, powerful story! You have such a healthy view of it from your experience. I just know that your parents and your birth mother would be so proud of you and who you've become!
Such a very inspiring story! ♥♥♥
I'm actually in the process of writing a multi-part adoption story for a newspaper. It's a sad one where the family has had two failed adoptions happen to them in just a month. Thank you for sharing your story. My mother was adopted, so it's just always been a part of my life as well, but it's very foreign to those who have not had a direct touchstone with it.
Your birth mother gave your parents such an amazing gift – a loving home with parents that could care for you and provide for your needs. Thanks for sharing your story!
I wasn't aware that November was National Adoption Month. Thank you for sharing your story! My mother was also adopted and spends her entire life looking for her birth mother, she is still seeking her today.