As I wait to adopt, having friends I identify with has made all the difference.
“Sometime in the Night”
In this personal essay, a single dad shares the story of the night he met his daughter in China.
“Which Ones Are Yours?”
There’s this poem I’m supposed to love. I first read it when we adopted our oldest son: Not flesh of my flesh nor bone of my bone/But still miraculously my own./Never forget, for a single minute,/You didn’t grow under my heart, but in it.
“Adopting From Russia…Again?”
One thing led to another, and we became—unexpectedly—twice blessed.
How Did Your First Child React to the Arrival of a Second?
How did you work through sibling issues/rivalries at the time of the adoption and in subsequent years? How about instances in which one child receives more attention than another or silly questions? (Is that your “real” sister?) Our readers respond.
Searching for Family Resemblance
For a mom who was adopted as an infant, the realization that her children look like her takes on special meaning.
Sharing Our Children
“Adoptive families get to know their children for who they are, something that biological families usually don’t do,” says the author.
“The One Place I Thought I’d Fit In”
I’d expected to fit in at the adoptive parents’ support group. At the first meeting, however, I found I was the only mom who’d adopted domestically, who looked like her child.
Share Your Story: Choosing a Route
We asked our reader panel: “How, and why, did you choose between the different types of adoption?” This is what they shared.
“Our Daughter is Growing Up”
Our only child is away this week. It’s a first for us, 11 busy years after we triumphantly carried our daughter home from the adoption agency.
Adopted and Black in Middle America
Michelle Johnson, 38, adopted by white parents and raised in suburban Minneapolis, recently spoke with AF about her experiences.
“Ode to Joy”
A simple radio broadcast can bring up my worries for my daughter’s future, and my fears as an older parent.
“More Love Is More Love”
In many families, relationships come without exact names. While adoption highlighted this truth, it was already a given in my family—and maybe in yours, too?
“Finally, Our Turn!”
First-time parent at 41? If this is my mid-life crisis, I couldn’t have hoped for a sweeter one.
“Thankfully, My Son’s Personality Didn’t Come from Me”
When people have kids, they are often hoping their child will be just like them. In our case, we’re happy our son has beautiful characteristics that are all his own.
“Mr. Tooth Fairy”
We had known about this tooth for many years, before we even met our daughter.
Music Is Our Family Tradition
We’ve been discussing family traditions lately. The other night at dinner, our 10-year-old, Yakob, said, “You know, we should have family movie night. We could each pick a movie to watch.”
“Breaking New Ground”
In the days leading up to a second adoption, a mother worries: Are we about to turn our lives upside down? How will our daughter handle losing her position at the center of our attention? Will I be able to make room in my heart for another child?
“The Longest Mile”
“It’s been almost five months and my husband and I are still in labor. The pregnancy was even longer—twelve months. When will this baby come, we ask ourselves.”
Parent-to-Parent: Celebrating the Holidays While Waiting for Your Child
Parents share their experiences of celebrating the holidays while still waiting for their adoptions to be finalized.