National Adoption Month

November in National Adoption Month and for some reason, it is really moving me this year. October is the month when we first held our children, but November still holds something special for both of them. Four years ago on November 15, we flew home with Jack and he became a US citizen. Two years ago on November 4, a Kazakhstan judge granted Brooke's adoption and on November 29, we got custody of Brooke.

During the months of October and November we traveled to Kazakhstan in 2006 and 2008 to get our children... and now it is 2 years later and perhaps I feel like I should be back in Kazakhstan.... maybe because we struggled for so many years to build a family; spent so many years with our driving force to build our family.... and our time in Kazakhstan was literally life changing. Maybe because now our driving force is to raise our family, that I'm a bit nostalgic for that time in Kazakhstan. Being away from the every day stresses, being with fellow adoptive parents who "get it", bonding with our children with no daily interruptions where we could just be a family.

Adoption is a hard road, no question. There are delays and unforeseen events that just happen (with no rational rhyme or reason... at least to the parent-in-waiting). Not to mention the cost. But was it worth it to me -- absolutely, there is no question about that. I look into the sweet faces of my children and I can not image my life without them. People say they'd do anything for their children, that they'd move mountains for them. Scott and I did all of that just to get to our children; even before we laid eyes on them.

I hope that by making November National Adoption Month, that it brings awareness of adoption and how powerful it is -- not just to the child but to the parent. I think most people think of adoption as a last resort and to be honest, if we hadn't had fertility issues, we probably wouldn't have thought to adopt. But now that I've done it twice and see the impact it has on my children, myself, my husband and our immediate family.... I see just how beautiful adoption really is and that it shouldn't be considered a last resort. I think of all the orphans out there and it breaks my heart to think that they may never know a mother's love. And I just ache.