Birth Parents
3:30 PM Posted In books Edit This 1 Comment »
I recently finished a book called "Beneath a Tall Tree" by Jean Strauss. It is Jean's memoir about her search for her birth mother. In the process of searching, she found out that her birth mother was also adopted. After they were reunited, she and her birth mother searched for (and found) her birth mother! Wow.
Thinking about our future child's birth parents has been a big part of our adoption process. We started talking about them in our homestudy, and have continued to think about their situation and pray for them since then. We do focus on the joy that adoption will bring to our lives, but continue to be mindful of the loss that the adoption means for someone else. There is a woman in Ethiopia who is carrying a baby that will eventually come to the U.S. to live with Justin and me. This woman is most likely facing hardships that I have no concept of. She is debating making an adoption plan for her child--a decision that must weigh heavily on her.
We will get the privilege of meeting members of our child's birth family when we travel. I am still thinking of ways to emotionally prepare for that meeting.
I do feel strongly that I want to be supportive of our child if he or she decides to search for his/her birth parents. There is so much about myself that I define and think of in terms of my biological parents--our genetics, our family tree, our family's patterns of behavior. I know that these concepts will be different for my child. I think this is why, unlike some other adoptive parents, I feel that I will be able to handle the search. I might even have to hold myself back from being too encouraging...
I'd recommend the book. It is a quick read--but gets good thoughts flowing.
Thinking about our future child's birth parents has been a big part of our adoption process. We started talking about them in our homestudy, and have continued to think about their situation and pray for them since then. We do focus on the joy that adoption will bring to our lives, but continue to be mindful of the loss that the adoption means for someone else. There is a woman in Ethiopia who is carrying a baby that will eventually come to the U.S. to live with Justin and me. This woman is most likely facing hardships that I have no concept of. She is debating making an adoption plan for her child--a decision that must weigh heavily on her.
We will get the privilege of meeting members of our child's birth family when we travel. I am still thinking of ways to emotionally prepare for that meeting.
I do feel strongly that I want to be supportive of our child if he or she decides to search for his/her birth parents. There is so much about myself that I define and think of in terms of my biological parents--our genetics, our family tree, our family's patterns of behavior. I know that these concepts will be different for my child. I think this is why, unlike some other adoptive parents, I feel that I will be able to handle the search. I might even have to hold myself back from being too encouraging...
I'd recommend the book. It is a quick read--but gets good thoughts flowing.
1 comments:
Kathryn, you sound so wise in your blog comments. It brings tears to my eyes. You have always been so loved, and your child will have so much love. I cried with joy the day you were born. I WAS A GMA. now, I am waiting anxiously, with you to become a Great GMA. Will love the baby and the new role in my life.
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