I don't think of our son Joey as being adopted. He is just "our son". For those of you who didn't know our story, my husband and I adopted our dear son 12 years ago from Japan. Joey was then "Ma-chan" and only 5 years old. He was also the cutest little kodomo (child in Japanese)we had ever met!
We were open about him being adopted from the very start. I guess that was inevitable since he was an older child.
I sometimes regret not being able to adopt more children, either internationally or domestically. But it was God's will for us.
I really hope and pray more and more families consider adoption or being foster parents. My heart breaks especially when I think of teenagers who are in our foster care systems. Some of them become adults without ever having a loving home or parents to call their own.
It is therefore with lots of dismay that I learn from Heidi in her post over at Extraordinary Moms Network of the growing danger of anti-adoption advocacy. She has written an article for Catholic Exchange and you can read it here
Please take the time to read it.
Remember, "adoption is the loving option".
Adoption is something my family often talks about (it's something I would love to do personally, but as I'm only recently graduated from high school)... we'd particularly love to adopt a special needs child. My young brother is a special needs child, and we have such a love for those dear little people.
ReplyDeleteAt this point it's still just a question... where is God calling us?
I'm sorry to hear that anti-adoption sentiments have worked their way into Catholic circles... though since it's coming from the National Catholic Register, I'm not so very surprised.
Actually, I believe the National Catholic Reporter is the liberal one. Now, I have to go check out that.
ReplyDeleteBTW, I really hope one day you can adopt.
You're right, Esther. My mistake. I need to read and type a little more carefully, I think!
ReplyDeleteWow I did not know your son was adopted, what a wonderful story. Our daughter's best friend next door was adopted. Our neighbor worked in the foster care system and found out about her being born to a drug mother with no family wanting her. Our neighbors just loosing a pregnancy/child at about 6 months along, felt God was calling them to now care for this lil girl.
ReplyDeleteI also have a girlfriend who adopted a baby girl in May from a young college student who just couldn't provide for her.
And lastly one of my close friend's sister is about to travel to Russia next week to adopt a baby girl! :)
Esther,
ReplyDeleteI would have liked to adopt at least one child, but it wasn't God's will for us.
Thanks for sharing your adoption story -- it's really inspiring.
God bless!
I read that article you linked to, Esther, and I was outraged at the comments left for the author. I am adopted, and I also assisted my half-sister in placing a baby for adoption. The differences between the 2 scenarios (1969 vs. 1996) are astounding. My husband has told me I should write about these experiences, and I think that I will.
ReplyDeleteThank you Esther for this post, my husband and I just became licensed foster parents:)
ReplyDeleteMamselle :-)
ReplyDeleteThat is so wonderful Melissa! My sister and b-i-l are still waiting for their baby from China and it's been two years.
Jean, thank you for sharing that with me.
Oh, I look forward to reading it Charlotte.