quotes & poems on adoptive parenting

I read some of these quotes and poems online and others were e-mailed to me and I wanted to share them. If you are the author of any copyrighted work here, PM me and I'll give you credit or remove it, your choice. Maybe you can use them in your child's life book or stitched on a pillow or printed out and framed :) Keep in mind as you read them, they cover the many different ways of adoptive parenting; infant, older, international. Do you have any quotes or poems on adoptive parenting to add to this list? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Every baby needs a lap." -- Henry Robin ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "I didn't give you the gift of life, But in my heart I know. The love I feel is deep and real, As if it had been so. For us to have each other Is like a dream come true! No, I didn't give you The gift of life, Life gave me the gift of you." -- Unknown ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Adoption is when a child grew in its mommy's heart instead of her tummy." -- Unknown ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Not flesh of my flesh, nor bone of my bone, but still miraculously my own. Never forget for a single minute, you didn't grow under my heart, but in it." -- Unknown ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Biology is the least of what makes someone a mother." -- Oprah Winfrey ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "He who brings up, not he who begets, is the father." -- The Bible ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "There are no unwanted children, just unfound families." -- The National Adoption Center ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I did not make you in my own image; I created you from the imagery of my heart. ~ Nancy McGuire Roche ~ Adoptive parent ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ However motherhood comes to you it's a miracle. ~ Valerie Harper ~ Adoptive parent ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ One gets only a day or two in an entire lifetime as incredible as the day we first saw your face. ~ Nancy McGuire Roche ~ Adoptive Parent ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Today I kissed an angel I knew it from the start. The first time my angel smiled at me; I gave away my heart. Today I kissed an angel; This angel child of mine Though not of my creation, My child by God's design. Today I kissed an angel. My heart is dancing wild; Our family, by a miracle; Blessed by our angel child. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Longing for a child to love, I'd wish upon the stars above. In my heart I always knew, A part of me was meant for you. I think how happy we will be, Once I adopt you, and you adopt me. I dream of all the joy you'll bring, Imagining even the littlest things. The way it will feel to hold you tight, And tuck you in every night. The drawings on the refrigerator door, And childhood toys across the floor. The favorite stories read again and again, And hours of games with make-believe friends. The day you took my outstretched hand, A journey ended, but our lives began. Still mesmerized by your sweet face, Still warmed inside by our first embrace. I promised to give you a happy home, And a loving family all your own. A house you've now made complete, With laughter, smiles, and tiny feet. A parent is one who guides the way, Know I will be there everyday. Rest easy as each night you sleep, A lifetime of love is yours to keep. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Our Family Tree We've added to our family tree A stronger one to make A child from another plant Has become our new namesake. Just as a limb is grafted From one tree to another, It alters and improves the plant Making it, uniquely, like no other. Our family tree has been improved Adoption made this so. For love, much more than bloodlines, Makes us thrive and grow. We chose to share our life and love And all the joys to come Our "family tree" has blossomed With the arrival of our cherished one. Longing for a child to love, I'd wish upon the stars above. In my heart I always knew, A part of me belonged to you. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ My Harvest (Carol Lynn Pearson) I did not plant you, true. But when the season is done, When the alternative prayers for sun and for rain are counted, When the pain of weeding And the pride of watching are through, Then I will hold you high, A shining sheaf above the thousand seeds grown wild. Not my planting, But, by heaven, My harvest-- My child. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Roots & Wings (Suzanne Gulbin) Who are you that you should come to us? Your name is Wonder; Your name is Joy. You have come gently into our lives bringing purity and the freshness of new beginnings. And what shall we give you in return? We offer you all that we can our best intentions - our promise of love. We offer your roots. We offer you your wings. We offer you tomorrow. We offer you ourselves. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Our Child! With anxious hearts and open arms, we sought you everywhere. You, dear child, are a gift from God, The answer to our prayer. No matter whether birth or choice, A home is blessed from above. When caring parents claim their child, A family is formed by love ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ You first came to us in an envelope With letters, forms and such Just two tiny little pictures With nothing warm to touch. You grew in our imagination In our hearts and in our minds. You brought us greater joy Than we ever thought we'd find. A phone call started labor pains Which lasted 'til we met Strangers brought together A day we won't forget. You bloomed as you were planned In our hearts, our lives, our home. Our child of chance, of plan, of will You're now our very own. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~