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Thursday, October 22, 2009

Making Dreams Come True

Pin It Roughly 70 years ago my Grandma and Grandpa met. My grandmother was a single mother, raising her children (including my dad) during the Great Depression when she and Grandpa fell in love. Not only did he fall in love with Grandma, he fell in love with her children. So he did what came naturally - he adopted them and they became his children as well.

Almost 40 years ago my parents met. My mom was a single mother, raising 2 kids on her own. She and my dad met and fell in love. Not only did Dad fall in love with Mom, but he often told us of how he instantly fell in love with her two children. So he did what made them all happy - he married mom and adopted my older brother and sister.

Over six years ago my brother Chip and his wife, who were not able to have kids on their own, opened their hearts to the sweetest little boy with the biggest chocolate brown eyes as his foster parents. In December of 2003 he became their son through adoption. In subsequent years they were able to adopt 3 beautiful little girls who were initially placed with them through foster care.

Four years ago, two of my favorite people got married. My brother-in-law, Daren and his wife, Shannon were the first to declare that they wanted to have more children than my mother-in-law's 16. After a few years they discovered that they could not have children on their own. They were heartbroken, but turned to adoption. And yesterday, they posted this:


And so, this post may not be what I had planned to write for today, and it may not be what you would expect to read here, but I can think of nothing else. I am filled to the brim with an awesome sense of happiness, love, excitement and hope.

I am overwhelmingly thankful for the opportunities available through adoption in my past, present and future.

They are opportunities which have helped to make dreams come true.

8 comments:

Mel said...

65 or so years ago my Grandpa married my Grandma and her 4 children with one on the way (her husband had died from a heart attack at 42). Of course I wasn't wise enough as I was growing up to fully appreciate how extraordinary a thing this was. The capacity some people have for unconditional love and acceptance is amazing. In that kind of situation you gotta want it - it's just not the same as cooking up the baby in the usual way. I was adopted into this family as a baby and I can tell you there's unconditional acceptance from some extended family members and a definite arms length relationship with others. 3 cheers for all your family Gerb.

Rebecca said...

Awesome! What else can I say?

Richard & Natalie said...

What an incredibly exciting post and amazing legacy! I am always amazed at the stories behind many adoptions. Most are stories of impossiblilty that miraculously become possibility. It always reminds me that someone knows and loves those little ones and truly knows the right 'place' for them.

Cami said...

Wow! How wonderful for them!

P.S. We just found out that Rob's twin and his wife who are also trying to adopt are getting twin boys by Nov. 10th! Hugs all around!

Corine Moore said...

That is such a cool story!

The path to our goals is not always like we imagine it; but the cool thing is that if we look hard enough, there is always a path. :D

Anaise said...

I am genuinely happy, happy, happy for them.

May their dreams come true.

And what a lovely legacy of adoption in your family.

Teachinfourth said...

My aunt always used to tell me that I was adopted and that she'd seen the papers; I soon figured out that I wasn't.

However, kudos out there to all of those who open their hearts and homes to the offspring of others and make them their own.

Gerb said...

Mel- That is an amazing story, thanks for sharing it.

Bec- No more words are needed. :0)

Natalie- I didn't want to get into the whole story of how my brother and his wife got their first boy, but it fits what you said. It was a miracle and he was most definitely meant to be in their home.

Cami- Okay, that totally made me cry. (No, I'm not pregnant.) Hugs back at ya!

Corine- So true! I don't think anyone ever really thinks, "I'm not going to birth kids, I'm just going to adopt them." But I can't imagine the lives of many people without the miracle of adoption.

Anaise- Thank you! Chip and I were talking about the whole legacy awhile back and it is indeed an awesome thing.

T5- Is that your favorite aunt? ;) And I'll ditto your kudos.

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