Look -- Something Adoption-Related!

For the first time in a while, Sandi was off work this past Saturday. We had invited my parents to visit once we knew of this beauteous happenstance, and confirmation came on Friday morning. As an added bonus, my aunt, uncle, and grandmother were also coming to see the house for the first time. My uncle had technically seen the house, since he helped us move, but I digress. We had a great visit and look forward to the next time the gang can get together in our neck of the woods.

I can hear your collective voices now: "What does any of that have to do with adoption?!?" "Do you not know me any better by now?" comes the wicked riposte. Anyway, this week features not one, but two waiting families meetings. Tonight had us journeying to Knoxville to hear the story of an adult adoptee, from what are sometimes called the 'dark ages' of the adoption process. If Dawn's case is typical, the name should be 'inky pitch black lightless abyssal ages.'

Her birthmother did not want to place her for adoption; both her adoptive and biological parents received patently false information about each other; there was no follow-up counseling of any kind. Anyone who knows me well knows how well I handle dishonesty, but perhaps the most telling evidence is a copy of records Dawn requested for medical purposes. Any identifying information on the papers is methodically cut out with scissors. Could they have made it seem any more like something was missing from the woman's life? When people get wistful about the good old days, they seldom remember that things like this happened. Or things like this and these, for that matter.

While the story above is somewhat less than heartwarming, my indignation was blended with a profound sense of gratitude for the care Bethany takes in dealing with birthmothers and adoptive families. The mountain of paperwork we had to submit seems quite worthwhile now. On another positive note, the Knoxville office has already placed two younglings this year, after seventeen placements last year. Go God!

Look for further updates on our Thursday meeting in Johnson City. Have a good one, folks!