“We don’t speak Mandarin and Bella didn’t speak English. But Grandma Jackie speaks both. Her sweet voice won her over.”
‘People stood to see what was wrong with the screaming kid in the back of the plane. ‘Call me Grandma Jackie.’: Mom praises flight attendant’s kindness, ‘She went above and beyond’
‘The first time I heard ‘rainbow baby,’ I was pissed. This storm doesn’t end.’: Mom details acceptance of term ‘rainbow baby’
“I thought it was one more way to say, ‘I know your baby died, but look, you get a NEW one!’ I could not handle anything that conveyed a replacement. This storm doesn’t end, there can’t be a rainbow.”
‘Is he your son?’ I nodded and waited for the disbelief. He just smiled. ‘I could tell. You look like best friends.’: Woman documents foster care journey, ‘Family runs deeper than blood’
“I remember the night he came home. I barely knew a handful of words. He had been told not to call me mom because I was not blood-related. It was not easy, but we grew together.”
‘Do you know why your REAL parents didn’t want you?’ They wonder how much I ‘cost.’ Truth is, love has no limits. Family is not confined or defined by blood.’: Transracial adoptee details journey, ‘I wouldn’t change a thing’
“I was left on the street four days after I was born. Somebody I don’t know took me to the police station. ‘Emma, why do your eyes look like that?’ ‘Are those REALLY your sisters?’ I cherish the only family I have ever known. Love knows no boundaries.”
‘We kept our relationship a secret. I never even told my kids about my transition.’: Transgender man details struggles, ‘If I hadn’t chosen the path I’m on, I wouldn’t have been led down this road to parenthood’
“‘Be yourself, be proud of who you are,’ but was I? It clicked. My kids needed to know we were part of this community. I struggled with telling them because of my insecurities as a father.”
‘My mom opened her gift. ‘There’s THREE shirts!’ They were 5, 2, and 9 months. It was daunting and overwhelming.’: Transracial adoptive mama urges ’love makes us a family’
“‘There are three girls.’ I immediately forwarded the email to Chris and added only one word: ‘Thoughts?’ Chris replied with two words: ‘Wow – what?’ It was time to throw logic out the window.”
‘You must have paid a pretty penny for him.’ I was speechless. No one ever admitted race was a factor.’: Mom describes transracial adoption journey, ’Love mattered most’
“’He’s white,’ she said. ‘Do you guys think this will work?’ We didn’t care about race. Everyone involved saw what was happening, but no one said a word.”
‘My parents had over 30 temporary placements and adopted 9 children. I struggled with my identity. I didn’t fit.’: Man thanks adoptive family, ‘I’m meant to do something important’
“He was sitting with my uncle. ‘We can give her a break and take care of him.’ Our home was chaos but in the best way.”
‘Do you want to be pregnant or to be a mom?’ Fear set in. ‘Get here now!’ We just stared at each other.’: Woman describes love for son’s birth mom, ‘We are forever tied together’
“We were fueled with fear and anticipation. I was reminded that adoption is not a natural process. There we were, both his moms, welcoming him.”
‘She has no one left to help her.’ I stared at the screen in disbelief. She looked nothing like I remembered.’: Woman adopts child, ‘My life wasn’t complete until she came home’
“When I left Liberia, my goodbye to her was the hardest. ‘I’ll never forget you.’ Three years later, I got a call. ‘Probable tumor in her eye. Untreatable in West Africa. It’s an emergency.’ We were terrified.”
