What do you think when you hear the word “Adoption?” Do you think about children from China or Africa? Do you think about celebrities who have adopted? Does it make you feel angry or does it make you feel happy? No matter what you think of or how it makes you feel, adoption is more than those things. As an adoptee, I am here to share my story and tell you what it means to me.
I was born in 1994 in Springfield, Missouri. Weather reports note that the high temperature that day was 40 degrees Fahrenheit with 0 precipitation. I went home with my family that day, but ten days later, I was returned to the hospital by my parents. They decided they could not care for me because I was not eating and was very sick. I was considered a failure to thrive.
In her article, Sarah Baker, defines failure to thrive as a child’s needs not being met nutritionally, emotionally or physically. Failure to thrive is very dangerous and shouldn’t be taken lightly.
After being under the extreme watchful eye of the Division of Family Services, my biological family made the decision to take me to the hospital where I was placed into foster care. I am so thankful that they made this decision. It was a tough and very courageous decision, but because of that, I am alive and thriving today. Their decision led me to my family.
On December 18, 1994, the family (that I would soon call mine) was just returning home from church and preparing to eat lunch. On any other given Sunday, they could be found eating out for lunch at one of their favorite restaurants in town, but on this particular Sunday, they just felt like eating at home. Perhaps God was telling them that they needed to be home, but wouldn’t say why.
Their “why” came a few minutes after arriving home when the phone rang. The phone ringing on a Sunday afternoon wasn’t anything new; they were a foster family and the phone was ringing at all times of day every day of the week. Sometimes they received the call in the middle of the night.
While cooking dinner, my mom heard the landline ring and answered it. The person on the other end told him that there was a 10-day-old baby currently at the hospital and needed a family. She told her husband and two kids, and the answer she gave the caseworker? “Yes!”
Little did they know, this baby wouldn’t just be a temporary placement in their fostering journey, but a permanent member of their family. Soon, they headed to the hospital to pick up their daughter
Fast forward 29 years, I am thriving and still living in the same house with plans to move this Summer, I hope to become a foster parent myself in the next couple of years. In my 29 years, I have had the opportunity to see over 40 children loved by my family. I have had the opportunity to be involved in many adoptions.
Adoption isn’t just a word. It means a lot more to so many people. To me, it means to be loved, chosen and blessed. My family loved me the second they laid eyes on me in that hospital ward. They have loved me every second of every day even when I have made mistakes. They chose me to be a part of their family. They have shown me unconditional love. There was no question when the caseworker asked if they would adopt me.
I believe that God has blessed me abundantly with my family. They have supported me, provided for me and helped me grow as a faithful follower of Christ since day one. Through my family, I have had more opportunities to travel and get an education. I have obtained my Master’s degree in special education and have traveled to many places including Australia, Israel, and more.
I believe God has also blessed me with great health: my mom is a nurse and spent a lot of time and care in providing for my medical needs. In her care, from failure to thriving, I became a chunky baby that was fully healthy and thriving with very few medical issues. She bent over backward during my childhood to figure out my medical issues and look for ways to help me. She still does! She provides this level of care to all children she has the opportunity to care for. She inspires me to become a foster parent myself in the next few years.
Adoption: it means a lot of different things to a lot of different people. It doesn’t just affect the child. It affects birth parents, adoptive parents, and even siblings. Some may agree that adoption is an important thing and some may not.
5 Reasons Why Adoption is So Important
Anna’s Story: Why Adoption is Important
Adoption isn’t just a legal act of becoming part of a family. It is so much more than that! I feel my mom says it best, “I feel like I gave birth to you!” Being adopted has blessed me in so many ways and it is something that I desire to do because there are so many children that need loving homes that I was blessed to be raised in one of them.
