Adoption Outreach Presentations...

I went to give some adoption presentations today at a High School very near to where I grew up. I always love hearing adoption stories and sharing our family's stories.

Last week, Amber sent Claire the most darling package. Claire was super excited when she saw a package but she assumed we were mailing it to Amber or Cami. When I told her that the package was for her, her big, blue eyes lit up HUGE. She asked if she could open it and was so happy when I said yes. It had cookies and snacks to share, an adorable little monkey...that is so very Claire (she sleeps with it now), it had a book about a little girl wanting to wear her mom's fancy shoes...super cute story, and the best part of all was a card. When Claire opened the card she heard Amber's voice saying that she was thinking about her and she loved her and then some music started playing and Claire totally started shaking her hips.

As I ran out the door this morning, I grabbed the card. I showed it to 3 of the 4 classes (they loved it).

My biggest hope with outreach and adoption education is that the myths about adoption will be dismissed. That people will know that adoption today is different; better.

When I was in Bella's class a few weeks ago giving a Junior Achievement lesson, I introduced myself and talked about my life and my kids. I mentioned that our youngest kids were adopted and that I go to schools sometimes to talk about adoption. Some of the kids in the class gasped in shock; like adoption was a bad, shameful thing. I have to say that I was surprised to see that reaction in 3rd graders.

One day, when Claire, Lily and I brought Bella lunch once, some of the kids came up and said that the girls look alike and that they couldn't possibly be adopted. One kid even said, "Are you sure they are adopted?"

I realized that there are still a lot of myths and assumptions about adoption. Adoption is such a big part of our family that I forget that everyone doesn't see it in the same light as we do. It is part of our story, part of our life.

My hope is that at least ONE person sees adoption in a different light after hearing birth mothers and adoptive mothers speak so candidly and honestly about their most precious stories (these are our babies and our children). And I hope that ONE person passes it along and so forth. I know this much for sure; Brennan, Bella, Claire and Lily will be advocates of adoption. They already are in everything they do and say and how they act towards one another.

It's all about LOVE.