They make us belly-laugh, sniffle happy tears, and rock out with the windows down on the way to soccer practice. Music is a foolproof sensory bonding time between parents and children, as well as an emotional relief for those in the harder parts of the process. Here are eight of the most sublime adoption songs out there.
“As best she could, she begged the skies for a mom and dad, a forever home.” Try to listen to the song without some salty sprinkles on your cheeks. The video features John Waller’s own daughter who was adopted internationally at age nine. Many adoptive parents can identify with the sentiment of “moving heaven and earth for one little girl.”
It is heartbreaking to so many of us that there are vulnerable children all over the world who don’t have someone to kiss their boo-boos or fetch them a snack when they are hungry. I can still remember the exhilaration on my kids’ faces when we were in-country and bought them each their own juice drink on a scorching afternoon. While politicians argue endlessly about the best way to remedy human suffering, those who adopt know the joy of providing a home to a grateful child and knowing that there is “one less broken heart in the world tonight.”
3. “1000 Years” by Christina Perri
We have all experienced that tug in our hearts, the knowledge that love is out there and for us before we have met our beloved child. Many adoptive parents tell stories about having an idea of the name or hair color of their child before the meet them. Their appreciation for the privilege amplifies while they wait.
4. “So Far to Find You” by Casting Crowns
“From a world away, I journeyed just to hold your hand. You will never be alone again.” Mark Hall wrote this song for his little girl, Meeka Hope, adopted from China. Those of us with knotty bonding experiences know what it means to plead “will you take my love and give up the fight, I have come so far to find you.”
5. “I Will Survive” by Gloria Gaynor
Many of us who have adopted older kids or sibling groups know the miracle of making it through the first few months without joining a hippie commune or talking to ourselves excessively in public. There is something to be said for hanging on during the testing phases, knowing that “as long as I know how to love, I know I’ll stay alive.”
6. “I’m Gonna Make You Mine” by Lou Christie
“From the morning till suppertime, you’ll find I’ll be waiting in line.” Those who celebrate “gotcha days” know the ecstasy of the moments when our children were legally granted to us after years of waiting, planning, and wondering. This is an upbeat oldie that kids can groove to, also!
This parody on Michael Jackson’s “Beat It” never gets old. “You haven’t even touched your tuna casserole. You better chow down, or it’s gonna get cold” will resonate with parents struggling to get their adopted kids to try something new. Celebrate the times when children eat something besides ice cream or Doritos without a little bit of a squabble, and have a sense of humor about the whole thing!
8. “Bless The Broken Road” by Rascal Flatts
“Every long-lost dream led me to where you are, and others who broke my heart, they were like northern stars.” How gratifying it is to know that our struggles with infertility and our children’s pain before they met us were destined to bring us together. We look back at our aches and marvel at the mystery of happy endings.
