Ever since I could remember people would always have some sort of comment about how "old" my parents were. I would always get confused about why people thought they were my grandparents or why people would ask so many questions about them. It wasn't until seventh grade that I found out I was adopted and guess what, my grandparents were the ones who adopted me. After that, so many things started to make sense. I always wonder why my "siblings" were so much older than I was and why people were constantly thinking my parents were my grandparents. To me, they will always and forever be mom and dad, not grandma and grandpa.

Finding out that I was adopted wasn't too much of a shock because it helped me piece things together. However, it wasn't until my senior year of high school that I asked my parent's so many questions about my long-lost dad and the brother that I had never met. With each new detail came more questions. Getting those questions answered only further proved that being adopted was the best thing that could have happened to me. I started to wonder what my life would be like if I had stayed with my birth parents. I also thought about what my life would be like if I was adopted by the family that adopted my brother. In my mind, it didn't seem like my life would be as great as it is now. It is crazy to think that if one thing had been changed, my life would have been so different.

We are one choice away from having a totally different life. Every time I think about that it blows my mind. There isn't anything in my life that I would want to change. I know that the people that I call mom and dad will always be there for me and love me endlessly. It is hard to think of a life where I don't know them. They have done so much for me and I can never repay them for that. They have provided for me and always make sure that I have everything I need. There always seems to be a smile on my face whenever they are around. My life has been full of happiness because of them.

Adoption is an amazing thing when done right. There are so many children out there that need loving homes. I am privileged enough to be adopted by family, and a great family at that. Not everyone is that lucky. Adoption is an opportunity to change someone's life. Being adopted gave me the chance to thrive and live a wonderful life that I may not have had if I had stayed with my birth parents. Adopting gives kids a second chance at a family, as well as provide the love and nurturing that a child needs. Being adopted was the best thing that ever happened to me because it changed my life for the better. I have the best parents in the world who love me so much, and I don't know where I would be without them.