Lauren tagged me on this Adoption Meme since she knew I'd be interested. At first I thought, ugh, it looks so long, but, truth be known it was more fun than the usual memes so I'm posting my answers and tagging Kathy, Debbie, Brandi, & Jill since they too have been touched by adoption:
Four things I thought about adoption when I was a child:
1. I couldn't understand why a parent wouldn't raise their own child.
2. Does Santa visit the orphanage?3. I thought adoption was a bad thing since the one family I knew who adopted tried to keep it a secret.
4. Parents can't possibly love the children they adopt as much as they can their biological children.
Four things I've learned since then:
1. Adoption is just another way to have a family.
2. While nobody has ever asked me how much the hospital bills were when I gave birth to my older kids, once I tell someone that we're adopting (or adopted), they feel entitled to ask how much it costs.
2. While nobody has ever asked me how much the hospital bills were when I gave birth to my older kids, once I tell someone that we're adopting (or adopted), they feel entitled to ask how much it costs.
3. While people will tell you how lucky the child is, in my heart I know I am the lucky one.
4. Adoption requires lots of prayer!
Four dumb things people have said to me about adoption:
1. "Does he know his "real" mother? (my response: "I am his real mother. Did you mean his biological mother?)
2. When he started talking, did he have a Russian accent? (Huh???)
3. "Why did you want to adopt?" (Response: Why did you chose to have kids? or "We needed the tax deduction)
4. "Do you think he misses Russian food?" (He was 21 months old...do you miss strained prunes?")
Four things that are hard about adoption:
1. Waiting, and waiting, and waiting
2. Seeing your child go from a baby to a preschooler through occasional pictures3. Leaving your child 1/2 way around the world, after a visit, not knowing when you can return for him.
4. Having your child clinging to you screaming "Momma, Momma" on the day you must leave him. You never forget that sound of him wailing for you...
Four things about adoption that amaze me:
1. How you claim a child as your own the instant your receive a grainy black & white photo of him in the mail.
2. How insensitive people can be.
3. How the sad faces of the kids you leave behind in the orphanage will burn a place in your mind forever.
4. How God carries you through it...
Four things I wish everyone knew about adoption:
1. It can be the best thing that ever happened to you!
2. You can love a toddler or preschooler every bit as much as a newborn baby.
3. There are SO many children in Russian orphanages who will never find homes...
4. That an adopted child is every bit "your own child" as a biological child is.
4 comments:
In the spirit of what you'd tell people about adoption... I've decided today [when thinking about how much snow we had the first winter when Skip came home] That time, in my mind is divided into 2 categories instead of B.C. and A.D.... BS (before Skip... LoL) and SS "Since Skip"... that should prove just how wonderful adoption can be. Like I always tell him... Ever since I was a little boy I always wanted a younger brother exactly like him.... 2004 changed me in many ways forever
What a great big bro you are Levi!
Well it might take me awhile but I will def. do this one. (I might have to steal some of your answers though!)
I'll do also, but have to think a little bit again :)
Post a Comment