The Truth We Don't Share About Adopting

November 20 is National Adoption Day. For most adoptive families, it’s Christmas, Thanksgiving and birthday all rolled into one. Our adoption day was the singular most exquisite moment of my life. 

And here is the truth (for me and for many), Adoption is a small piece of the big picture of being a family. Like a challenging pregnancy or dealing with infertility, when you’re going through it, it’s incredibly intense. Lots of deep breaths and tears and prayers. But you get through it. And it becomes a story. A chapter in the book of your life so far. And once it’s done, there are more lessons and challenges. More chapters. Every life is filled with a few mountains to climb. A few valleys to cross. Lessons to learn. 

When you think about it, we’ve all adopted. Maybe not a child, but in a way, every time you make a choice about adding something new to your lives, you walk the path of adopting. Think about the ways you have adopted:

Have a pet?  Then you have adopted.  Do you Have a car you’ve named?  One of my besties names all her vehicles. She most recently adopted a truck and named her Delilah. Another friend has named her Roomba. )I know you’re wondering, her grandkids named him Bob). Maybe you’ve adopted the most scenic and the fastest way to get somewhere. Or maybe a new habit.  Or a tattoo.  Some interesting haircuts or fashion choices. My son is currently sporting his AC/DC phase. Even a bumper sticker on your car or the art in your living room. 

Adoption is ultimately a choice we make to create and maintain a connection with a child, or a pet, a car, a habit or even a lifestyle. But it is ultimately about connection.  how we can use the connections we make to become bigger, better, deeper and more interesting versions of ourselves- books with lots of chapters. 

We’re all here to make our lives a book worth reading. So by all means, make the connections, climb the mountains, and string them together with magic moments…because ultimately it’s the little moments that make up the bulk of our lives. 

To connection,

Anne Armstrong
Founder, My Gnome on the Roam