November is officially National Adoption Month and so I thought I would just post a few thoughts about adoption. Adoption is truly wonderful and has blessed our lives tremendously. We know that Madison is meant to be part of our family and came to us through the miracle of adoption. A quote that I like about adoption is, "In placing their faith in the Lord as they make a truly selfless choice, many unwed birth mothers find that from the ashes of their deepest pain, He makes something beautiful— for her, the baby, and a loving family."
Our birth mom is truly amazing and we will be forever grateful to her. There are no words that we can say that can adequately thank her or tell her how we feel about her placing Madison with us. Madison is the world to us and has brought so much joy and happiness into our home. Madison is so perfect and beautiful, a little angel sent from above to our home through adoption. Birth mom's are truly unselfish with the amazing sacrifice they offer.
Our Birth Mom
To learn more about adoption you can go to:
or visit the local Riverton FSA (families supporting adoption blog at:
One other little tidbit that I would like to post is about some positive adoption language. Many people talk to me and use terms that are negative, but it's only because they don't know any better. I thought I would post them the terms so people are more familiar with them and could start using them.
Negative Terms
| Preferred Terms
|
Gave up her child for adoption
| Placed her child for adoption
|
Real parent; natural parent
| Birth parent, biological parent
|
Adoptive parent
| Parent
|
His adopted child
| His child
|
Illegitimate
| Born to unmarried parents
|
Adoptee
| Child who was adopted |
To keep
| To parent
|
Adoptable child; available child
| Waiting child
|
Foreign adoption
| International adoption
|
Track down parents
| Search
|
Unwanted child
| Child placed for adoption
|
Is adopted
| Was adopted |
One last thing I want to post is some adoption myths found from the It's About Love Web Site:
Most birth mothers who place their babies for adoption are teenagers.
Most birth mothers who choose adoption are in their early twenties, although women of all ages make this decision.
Birth parents who place their babies for adoption are abandoning their responsibility and taking the “easy way out.”
There is no easy way out of unplanned pregnancy; any option involves emotional pain. Most birth mothers who do not choose abortion make the choice initially to parent their babies. Those who choose adoption do so after taking some time to carefully consider their options and the best interests of their child. Adoption is a courageous, loving choice which shows that the birth mother takes seriously the responsibility to be a parent.
An adoptive parent cannot love a child as much as a biological parent can.
Love is not based on biology. Many loving relationships are between individuals who are not related to each other, such as husbands and wives. The love of a parent comes from preparing for a child and selflessly nurturing and caring for that child.
A birth mother can reclaim her child after adoption.
Once a birth mother’s rights have been terminated, she cannot reclaim her child. Cases of birth parents obtaining custody after adoption are extremely rare and are exaggerated by the media.
After a child has been placed, a birth mother cannot have any contact with the child.
Adoption practices have changed over the years. Today most birth mothers have some contact with their children. Arrangements are agreed upon by the birth mother and the adoptive parents and are based upon the needs and desires of all concerned.
Children who were adopted are more likely to have physical or emotional challenges.
It is impossible to predict how any child will turn out, whether biological or adopted. Generally, children who were adopted as infants are as emotionally healthy as children who were not adopted. Children who were adopted when older may have challenges resulting from adverse conditions in their early lives, such as neglect, abuse, or lack of attachment. These challenges do not result from the adoption itself.
Birth mothers never recover from the emotional pain of placing a child for adoption.
Birth mothers who choose adoption go through a grieving process, which is a healthy way of dealing with loss. But most birth mothers also report finding peace in the knowledge that they did all in their power to provide the best life possible for their child. They find that the experience gives them the strength and confidence to face other challenges throughout their lives.
We LOVE Adoption!!!
