The subject of adoption has been on my heart for a while. The only reason I'm posting this is because I know that no one reads this blog, and I get so many mixed reactions when I mention the possibility of adoption, and especially when I say something about adopting an older child. Oh the horror! You don't get to change their diaper and feed them bottles! I'd say you don't get to get up and comfort them when they cry in the night, but that's par for the course with children in general, not to mention kiddos suffering from PTSD.
Anyway, I've been indulging my desires by lurking through the blog-o-sphere on adoption and foster care blogs. I love them. It's a not-so-guilty pleasure, but one that I still keep secret. Like I said, mixed reactions. It's not that I can't stand up for myself, it's just that I get tired of "yes, I know that adopting older kids means that they'll probably have issues. Yes, I know what that means. Do you remember where I worked for two years?" I stumbled onto a blog tonight that spelled it out perfectly though, and I want to quote her words here, because they are so beautiful and spoke straight into my heart. I want to print them out on business cards and hand them to everyone who tells me that adoption is too much trouble.
"I realised there is no guarantees with parenting, full stop. Any kid, biological or otherwise, can have a whole string of issues that you didn’t plan for when you fantasise about your perfect, pink, plump healthy baby. I realised that it doesn’t matter if I can’t name my children fancy, well thought out names that sit somewhere appropriate on the Top 100 baby name list. That is not parenting. I realised that the first few weeks, months and years of parenting can be so tough regardless of how you get there, but that I would rather live through all of that with my hormones tightly regulated and with my mind in reasonable shape as a result."
http://www.nevermindthedistance.com/why-i-have-chosen-foster-care-adoption/
I don't know how to say it any better than that.
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