I used to see adoption from only one viewpoint—that of the adoptive parents. But working in the field before becoming an adoptive mother opened my eyes to how complex and bittersweet adoption can be.
“I’m Disabled. I Adopted.”
An accident left the author disabled, but not defeated. Having a physical disability doesn’t have to prevent you from adopting.
“Are Adoptive Moms Allowed to Have a Bad Day?”
After finally realizing my dream of becoming a mother, I found what most new parents find—along with the bliss come days filled with crying, spit-up, and leaking diapers. But when I dared to vent, I was chided: “You wanted to adopt…you asked for this!”
“Opting Out of IVF”
As I dove into research about in vitro fertilization, I kept waiting to be excited about this wondrous technology. But the excitement never came. When our talk turned to adoption, however, I felt the rebirth of hope.
“I’m an Adoptee and Adoptive Parent”
My daughters and I have something important in common. We share the experience of joining a family through adoption.
“When the Heart Won’t Wait”
Desperate to be with her newborn son, one mother packs up her family and heads to Guatemala to foster him.
“The Fine Print”
When the mundane tasks required for our dossier get complicated, each one we complete feels like a mini-victory—and reminds me of how much I want to be a dad.
“Loving My Daughter, A Country Apart”
I didn’t travel to meet my new daughter. But nothing could stop me from becoming Maura’s mommy.
Mother Knows Best?
Even though my husband couldn’t stay with me to foster our daughter in Guatemala, I was never short on parenting help.
“Families Like Us”
My wife and I may not match our kids, but we found a group where we all fit in.
“The Perfect Season of the Heart”
A father and son find that, in the face of catastrophe, despair, and death, the antidote is life.
“How I Met My Daughters”
I may not remember when I first knew I wanted to be a mother, but the moments leading up to and the first time I saw my daughters are indelibly etched in my memory.
“Letting Go After Months of Struggling to Parent”
After struggling to parent my twin daughters for ten months, I sadly realized I couldn’t provide them with the stable life I’d envisioned.
“Dear Other Mothers…Thank You”
My greatest joy, becoming a mother, happened because both of my children lost the one person no child should have to lose.
“They Are Not Lucky; We Are All Blessed.”
As parents, we are neither selfish nor selfless, but we are surely blessed.
“My Single Mother’s Legacy”
A cry in the night reminds one mother how much families have changed and how much love stays the same.
When Shady Neighbors Come to Call
When potential neighbors were looking at the house for sale next door, this mom of a biracial child mas mainly worried they wouldn’t be friendly or would paint their house purple — until race came up.
“And Baby Makes Three”
A single mom’s decision to adopt a second time.
Share Your Story: Who Helped With Your Adoption?
We asked AF readers: Did anyone help you with your adoption? Whether it was an adoption agency or attorney or other adoption professional, we want to know how you chose the people who helped you adopt.
“Another Generation”
The author of this story anticipates sharing his life with a child after a long wait.