Two Meetings.

11:38 AM Posted In Edit This 0 Comments »
In the past week, I've had two meetings with people working towards adoptions--specifically adoptions from Ethiopia. One woman lives in Chicago, her aunt knows my parents, we talked on the phone. The other is a friend of a friend who lives in my town and we got to meet face to face for coffee.

I just have to say that the ways in which adoptions bring people together are pretty much incredible to me. I feel like (*my* feelings--not to be generalized to anyone else) adoption spreads a web of connectedness between people who otherwise wouldn't be connected--a net that doesn't quite reach as far for people who form families through biological births. To me, this is because people who adopt, are adopted, or make adoption plans are the minority. One way for us to feel supported and empowered is to band together--to network, to connect. Maybe it is similar to people who deal with fertility challenges.

Regardless, other than immense significance that is my Kid, this adoption network--these connections--have been the most significant part of my adoption experience. Reconnecting with old acquaintences, meeting new people who are friends of friends because they are pursuing adoptions, blogging/reading blogs, and immediately being valued and accepted, being part of the group makes me feel...special.

I hope that other adoptive parents, adoptees and people making adoption plans make use of these networks and feel as included as I have.

'Her adopted children'

11:23 AM Posted In Edit This 5 Comments »
Okay. So, I follow celebrity gossip just as much (or more) than the next girl who spends a good portion of her week in a cubicle with internet access. Because of my current condition (condition: pre-adoptive waiting potential parent), stories about celebs who've adopted or are pregnant usually catch my eye. Generally, I feel pretty great about the celebs who've adopted. I admire them for social justice work. Most of them went about adoption in the most ethical way that promotes the cause of adoption and is respectful of children, birth and adoptive families, as well as foreign governments.


However, one of my lingering pet peeves is how the press has decided to label the children of these famous people. If you didn't know already, Nicole Kidman is pregnant. People.com reports that she has two other children from her marriage with Tom Cruise. But, is that how they said it? 'That she has two older children' NO. She has two ADOPTED children. Why is it necessary for it to be said that her two older children were adopted? What does this add to the story? Why does the reader want/need to know that information?


My suspicion: I think it serves to keep families formed through adoption as 'different' than families formed through birth. My feeling is that it is pointed out because it is viewed as important, as if her older children aren't her 'real' children (like this new one is) because they were adopted. This burned me when they did this with Angelina's kids too.


I may be totally misinterpreting it. But, that's my feeling.
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