Hi. I'm Amber, and I'm adopted. You wouldn't be able to tell by looking at me with my parents, but I promise I am. November is National Adoption Month, and I want to tell you a little bit about adoption from the other side. I see a lot about adoptive parents starting blogs so people can track their journey, but I've never seen a story from a child who was actually adopted.
I was adopted by my wonderful parents when I was 9 months old, and I am convinced that is the single event that has changed my life the most. I look at all the opportunities I had because of the decision of all parties to do what was best for me. I was born to a young mother, and that's OK. She knew she wasn't fit to raise a child, and I'm thankful for that. Her decision to give me up for adoption allowed her to get her life on track, and it allowed better opportunities for me. I've always known that I'm adopted. Ever since I was old enough to understand, I've known. My mom wanted to avoid confusion, so she told me at a very early age. I liked that. I grew up knowing that I was not my parents' biological child. It stopped me from feeling deceived. I don't have a tear-jerker, super emotional story; I never had to go through the foster care system, and I never had to spend time in an orphanage, but my story isn't less valid because of that.
I have had the opportunity to see how good things can come out of bad circumstances. My parents couldn't have children, so they adopted me. If they had been able to have children, they wouldn't have had a need for me. Years of infertility opened their hearts to be able to love a child who was not their own. I have learned about forgiveness and love. I could be really angry at my birth parents for abandoning me and for just giving me to strangers. I could ask, "Why didn't they love me?" But I believe the opposite. My birth parents did what was right for the both of us. I have had amazing opportunity in my life because of my birth mother's decision to give me to someone else.
My story is a good one. Nothing bad really happened to me throughout the years, and I was only 9 months old when I was adopted, so I didn't have to go through an orphanage or the foster care system. But not all stories are like that.
According to the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute, 397,122 children are living without a permanent family in the foster care system, and more than 100,000 of them are eligible for adoption. Every year, more children in America become available for adoption, but not all of them get adopted. Last year almost 30,000 kids turned 18 years old in the foster care system. Almost 30,000 kids turned 18 without having a permanent home. That's kids here, in America. I'm not hating on people who adopt children from other countries, but I don't understand why when there are so many kids here that also need loving homes. In the end, international adoption is helping a child, so that's a good thing, but what about the children here who are in foster care and orphanages who can't get adopted, because the only people willing to adopt are getting their children from overseas?
Adoption is not for everyone, and I know that. But my story, as well as so many other people's stories, could have been a lot different if it wasn't for the sacrifice made by not only my adoptive parents but also my birth parents. I love my life and I love my parents -- and adoption is the reason I have it. So, Mom and Dad, if you're reading this -- thank you, and I love you.
