Many people touched by adoption know that May is National Foster Care month. While reforms are needed in foster care as well, I find this an easier month for me to acknowledge than November (which is National Adoption Awareness Month). However, I got to thinking about things the other night and I was struck by my lack of empathy and understanding.

While many foster parents and parents who have adopted from the foster care system might... more

Okay. It really is National Adoption Day. But it's also my (older) parented son's birthday. Today he turns two. And while I recognize the importance of children from foster care being granted permanent families, I'm kind of grumpy that the two days are falling upon one another. So, after this post, I will emotionally boycott any thought of adoption for the rest of the day.

You see, adoption isn't this big celebratory thing for me. Or for my family. I lost a daughter. My Mom and Dad lost a granddaughter.... more

I'm not going to talk politics. I'm simply going to talk about how I am left out of National Adoption Month and the Presidential Proclamation every single year. I understand, at the core, that this month isn't about me. It's about the children who are waiting to be adopted, who need to be adopted. It's about recognizing the need for adoptive parents. It's about celebrating families.

But with that last sentence, I am always left out even though I am part of the Munchkin's family.

Let's... more