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My sons were adopted going on 11 years ago from foster care in Missouri. Our oldest was then 4 and had the same history as many of "our" kids on these boards. Abuse, neglect, attachment issues etc. He is now 15
He is a pretty amazing kid (as are my other 5 of course, but this post is about him). Over the years he has chosen to reunite with his birth family - dealt with meeting his biological father in a federal prison, meeting a full sibling, several half sibs, unstable birth family members etc. Add to that the realities and racism of living as a large, black male teenager with white parents in a predominately white community. Plus of course being adopted and all that entails. We have had our ups and our downs and through it all he has really worked hard to deal with all and is a sweet and amazing kid. I am honored to be his parent.
G's passion is sports - hockey in particular and he is a gifted athlete with a really good attitude (at least most of the time :eyebrows: ) ANYWAYS -- today he was chosen for one of 12 spots for a provincial team. Its a really big honor (U16 Provincial Cup for those in the hockey know) and he is ECSTATIC! :dance: We are very proud of him.
For all the hard stories (and trust me I have our fair share) sometimes it needs saying how much RICHER our lives are for adopting our special, amazing kids. This is an experience as a mom I would have NEVER otherwise had and I am happy to brag on my kid -- who is so much more than just a special needs, older child, transracial, international adoptee :)
Thanks for letting me brag.
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Thanks for the story and the bragging. We haven't yet looked 11 years down the road since we are just concentrating on what dd might be able to do next school year. I just shake my head sometimes when I think about what she went through before age 4..... I know it is a hard road, but that joy you experienced from watching their faces when they realized they were succesful (at something they wanted to do) has to be amazing.
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Who would dare pressure an adoptee as to how they would feel or act? Having said that would he not want to play for his adopted country who gave him the chance to play the sport loved by all Canadians? Sorry Crick - I am sure he will see he has no choice but to play for Canada for GOLD... Back to the regularly scheduled Kudo's... D
Ohhhh my :) He is already very aware that he could play for both countries (lol he considers that a bonus if one country cuts him, he is going to try out for the other). HOWEVER saying that, I do think his grandparents would keel over if they ever saw him playing in an American jersey :) and his mom (aka me!) might have a hard time chewing on that shoe in her mouth :) :) :)
HOWEVER saying that ... its jumping the gun about 10,000 steps :) He is a very good 15 year old player which means very little in the scheme of a hockey career. His goal is to get a scholarship to some big American university and play NCAA hockey - and as an American citizen that is easier for him, and as a Canadian he gets access to alot of hockey :) best of both worlds.
I am just really proud of him ... I know that kids can struggle and deal with ALOT of crap and I have held him as he sobs and processes the losses in his life and seen him face some pretty yucky stuff head on. But to have this level of success inspite of / because of / even though ALLLLLL that he has been through - :) Its a big deal. His bio father is a very good athlete (at least the potential) but had zero chances to utilize his gifts. Greg is an amazing mix of natural talent from his family of birth, and opportunity from our family and hard work on his own. This is HIS passion - not ours but man has it been fun to come along for the ride :)
Of note, his younger brother (my son #2) and the next younger brother (son #3) also play hockey and love it ;)
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Millie :) Honestly its all written out in gory detail on my blog. Check out the July 2008 archives if you want the nitty gritty.
The prison meeting was fine - - interesting and difficult, but in many ways easier than meeting other family members without that structure. We have had a great letter relationship with his birth father for several years before meeting, and G wanted to meet him. Our other son (his full bio brother) did not.
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