Every Friday Kelly over at Kelly's Korner does "Show Us Your Life Friday." The topics vary every week from showing a certain room in your house to missions trips to sharing your favorite charities. This week's topic really hit home for me. I've never participated in SUYLF before, but I felt compelled to do so tonight.
Every link posted before mine has been from the parent's point of view, and I wanted to share my story from the "baby's" point of view.
For those of you visiting my blog for the first time, I am a 21 year old college senior at the University of South Carolina. I have such a fortunate and blessed life, and none of this could have happened had I not been adopted.
My parents decided to look into adoption when my mother was diagnosed with a kidney disease and the doctors highly advised against getting pregnant. So they immediately began looking into adoption. My parents were very fortunate and on October 11,1989 they got a call saying their baby was waiting (me!)
As I got older I always knew I was adopted. My birth mother decided to place me up for a private adoption because she got pregnant at a young age. My parents were very open about the fact both me and my younger brother were adopted from birth and it was never a "secret". I can't even remember a moment that they sat my down and "broke the news" to me. It was just something I always knew. Having said that, I consider my adoptive parents MY parents. I will always and forever be grateful to my birth mother (and father) for having the strength and courage to do the most selfless thing I think a person could do. I never felt unloved or abandoned or unwanted. I know my birth mother loved me so much for her to be able to do this.
Whenever I tell my story alot of people ask me if I know who my birth mother is and if I have any desire to meet her. I answer with 100% honesty. I do not know who she is and at this point, I do not feel this need or desire that I have to find her. It stems back to the fact that I never felt abandoned by her. Whenever it's brought up my parents have said that they have the file and if I wanted to they would give it to me and I could see who my birth mother is. At this point all I know is that she was really young, Catholic, and still lives in town. That's all I want to know (at this point). My feelings may change years down the road, and if the situation came up where she wanted to meet me, I don't know that I would object. At the least I would be able to meet the woman who gave me the greatest gift imaginable and thank her for her selfless decision.
My whole point of this post was to show a successful adoption story! To couples considering adoption, DO NOT GIVE UP!! I know more often than not its a long and expensive process, but I am so thankful my (adoptive) parents were there when they were. Your baby will come when the time is right, and that WILL BE YOUR CHILD. To pregnant women/couples considering adoption for their babies, take it from one of those "babies", we will be forever grateful!! I will NEVER forget that my birth mother loved me enough to give me up.
I feel like this post is very rambly and not well organized, but these are my thoughts. I am sitting here with tears in my eyes thinking just how incredibly blessed I am! I don't want to imagine what my life would be like had I not been adopted. Not to say that my life would have been awful, for all I know it could have been just as great, but it wouldn't have been this life.
This was a difficult post to write, just because I haven't shared something this personal on here before. To all my loyal readers, I appreciate every single one of you. And to new readers, thank you so much for taking time to read my story! If yall have any questions/comments, feel free to email me or leave a comment :)
xoxo
Natalie
**January 25 2013 - I originally wrote this post almost 2 years to the day, but wanted to share it again via Kelly's linkup. All the feelings I expressed back then still hold true today. If anything I believe even more now that adoption is such a special, priceless gift I couldn't be more grateful now. I've even become more open to the idea of one day meeting my birth mother, simply to show my gratitude and thankfulness. Hope you guys enjoy this post!**
Thank you so much for posting this. I am an adoptive mother and it is so refreshing to hear such a successful story. We have an open adoption and our son has a relationship with his birth parents, but is still too young to understand his adoption. I am not going to lie though, I always wonder how he will feel when he's grown and understands how he became our son. Thank you again!
ReplyDeleteI linked to Kelly's blog as well. My blog is japeakin.blogspot.com
Yay! I am so excited to see someone else who linked up with THEIR adoption story, as opposed to their child's! :)
ReplyDeleteThis is precious!
ReplyDeleteVisiting from Kelly's Korner...Thanks so much for sharing! It's so precious to read about adoption from your point of view!
ReplyDeletei LOVE you!
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful story, Natalie! Thank goodness for people who are willing to do what is best for a baby when they know they are not well-equipped to raise a child, and thank goodness doubly for people like your parents who are willing to adopt!
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing. As an adoptive mother, it's so nice to hear that there are people who are completely okay with their adoption...unfortunately, public media often makes it sound like all adoptions go bad. So, thank you!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for sharing your story! It's so nice to hear your point of view, along with the other stories about families who have adopted.
ReplyDeleteNatalie - thank you for sharing your story! I am not adopted, but I have friends who are, and I think it's a wonderful thing. In fact, I want to adopt when I'm older. It's good to hear from someone who has been adopted, as encouragement for those who are considering it!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for be willing to share your story of hope, love, and courage! It is a beautiful story! So Glad kept His loving hand on you, guiding you to just the right parents!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for sharing Natalie. We just adopted for the first time (5th child). Our son is 9 months old. We met his birth mother and agree with your comments - she made a selfless choice and we pray for her daily and are so thankful for that. That is what we hope to communicate to our son. He was loved by everyone in his life - mostly by his Heavenly Father, who chose us to be his parents. We are so grateful and I love hearing stories like yours. Bless you for sharing it.
ReplyDeleteYou are so, so wonderful to post your story, thank you for taking such a courageous step in sharing things. Your actions help all of us better understand the world we live in by giving us insight into what can be a very tough topic, removing the 'taboo' aspect from it.
ReplyDeleteSmiles to you Miss Natalie,
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What a WONDERFUL story!!!! I am so glad you shared your story, you are so blessed to have such amazing parents. Your story gave me chills!
ReplyDeleteThis post came up on a google alert I have for adoption. I am a mother in reunion for two years with my 31 year old son. He also is very fortunate to have great adoptive parents. The happiest day of my life (and I have had many!) was the day I found out my son was still alive, and that all my prayers for him were answered.
ReplyDeleteI just wanted to tell you, that your natural mom would probably be thrilled to know you are doing so well, that you are happy and healthy. Many women who have given up a child for adoption do not feel that it is their right to search for their child. As a matter of fact, I was (falsely) told it would be against the law to ever search for my son. Just a couple of things I thought you should know in case you ever thought about finding your other mother!
Thanks for telling your side of the adoption story!
ReplyDeleteVisiting from Kelly's Korner. Thank-you for sharing your story. I too am an adopted "baby". I'm 47years old and was adopted through an adoption agency in IL. called The Cradle. I too believe that I am very blessed and consider my adoptive parents to be MY PARENTS. I have never met my birth parents but am eternally grateful to them for loving me enough and having the courage to give me up. So wonderful to read your story and see how many feelings we share about our adoptions.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Barbara
Another adoptive mom here, saying thank you for sharing your story. In all our adoption education classes, the emphasis is always on coping with the negative feelings some adoptees have -- so it's nice to hear from someone who has a positive view. Your story made my day!
ReplyDeleteWe have two "home grown" sons, one daughter adopted from India, and are waiting for another daughter from India.
God bless you,
Nancy in WI
Thank you, thank you, thank you for sharing your adoption story. My husband and I have been blessed to have adopted our two daughters--they are now 3 years old and almost 2 years old. We love them so very much and it was so great to hear your story. We tell them how they grew in our hearts and how God chose them for us and us for them. I can't tell you how much your story has encouraged us. Thank you! Tamara
ReplyDeleteI love your for sharing your story. Would you please hop on over to a linky party for Sophia's 4th birthday. I'm trying to spread the miracle/message of adoption and I would LOVE my readers to hear your persepective. I get a lot of emails and questions and I think this will be very helpful. Thanks, Jessica
ReplyDeleteI'm adopted as well, from birth, and have no desire to meet my biological family. I don't think that anyone else can understand this unless they've been there, but my adoptive family is my family. That's the bottom line. I have no reason to know who my parents were because I know my parents. Maybe you can understand?
ReplyDeleteThis is a great story and I'm glad you shared!
Thank you for sharing your story. As prospective adoptive parents it is so comforting to hear your story. And yes, SC is one of our very favorite places. Last time in Charleston we found a lovely restaurant called the "Wreck", such a treasure.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
I'm adopted too & in the same boat! I am so fortunate to have such ridiculously amazing parents. My mom couldn't have babies but they got me. All I know about my birth mother is that she was 15 and Catholic... to be honest, at 30 (nearly 31 yrs old) that's all I really care to know.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing!! xox
Thank you for your story! I too am an adoptive mom and it is so wonderful and refreshing to hear your positivity. My daughter is only 2 but we talk about adoption and even have a board book for her that explains how we came to be a forever family. My sincere hope and prayer is that she will only feel loved and never abandoned. Thank you again for sharing!
ReplyDeleteStopping by to say hi as a fellow adopted child and newest follower :) I share your feelings, 100%. I do not have a desire to meet my biological mom and its because I don't feel abandoned at all! Blessings :)
ReplyDeleteI had no idea you were adopted. Thank you for sharing your story and your perspective. :-)
ReplyDeleteBeautiful post! Thank you so much for sharing!
ReplyDeleteKK