Friday, November 20, 2009

We ARE family!

I have just heard about a new show on ABC following in the vibe of Extreme Home Makeover. It is called "Find My Family" and apparently, it follows adoptive children on their quest to find their "Real" family.
UGH!
The premise of this show makes me so sad!
I am the mother to four of the most incredible human beings and the wife to an incredible man. We ARE a REAL family. I AM my children's REAL mother.
How will this show impact the impression of families who are contemplating adoption? Will they think that no matter how much of a bond their adoptive children create with them, they will never be a family? Will they wonder if adoption is a viable option now?
And how about adopted children? Are my children going to think that they are part of a PLAN B for a family? Is the world and their community going to assume that they are not whole because they are not part of their REAL family?
Let me tell you... I can NOT even begin to imagine the struggle and pain and frustration that B-Man and Belly-ome's parents must have faced in order to make the decision to relinquish their children to a state run orphanage in Ethiopia. I will NEVER belittle the importance of my children's first family. I am definitely not one of those people who goes around saying that God intended us to be a family and that their first family was just a way for my children to enter this world. I feel that statement takes my children's first family and their anguish out of the equation. My faith, rather, tells me that we will have the potential to ALL be a part of the same family in Heaven. Biological family... Adoptive Family... all part of the plan.
But, I will never belittle the blessing of all of us being a family, either. Nate and I are the proud parents to four beautiful children. Two by birth and two through adoption. All four are MINE. And my love is REAL.
Don't belittle that ABC!

4 comments:

Wolfemom said...

Hey Jennifer, I met your sister at church and she gave me the link to your blog. Your family is BEAUTIFUL!! Just wanted to stop by and say hi.

Sara said...

Beautifully said, Jenn. I can't agree with that more.

Rach said...

Good points. Your family is so CUTE!!!!

Julie Swenson said...

I am so glad someone else is as mad about this show as I am. When the preview for the show comes on my daughter says, "Uh oh Mom, don't get mad." I have two adopted kids and am adopted myself. I hate how the media tries to tell us that we should want to find our "real" parents so we can fill the holes in our lives. It makes me crazy!!!