I would venture to say that at some point during childhood,most adoptees have heard this (usually) innocent remark. For me, it was when I was in high school. Someone remarked that I didn’tlook like my brother and I replied, “Well, we are both adopted.” Our parents had always made us feel blessed to be adopted, loved and wanted, so I didn’t think a thing was “wrong” or “different” about it.
To this day, I have not forgotten her reaction.
She made a grimacing face; it was not nice. I wanted to crawl under the lunchroom table. I felt embarrassed, hurt, singled out – all the things.
Why did she react this way? Probably because she did not know any other adoptive familiesEach of my children (all adopted) have come home from school at least once to relate an adoption-related question a classmate has asked. They rarely know how to respond.
This is one of the reasons I wrote Hoppin’ John Soup& Turtle Wax. As a 50-year-old adoptee, former educator and current homeschool teacher, and mother to four
adopted children, I have witnessed far too often the awkward, painful remarks
made by friends and classmates to adoptees.
Do they do it on purpose? No, not always. I truly believe that the more common adoption becomes, the more folks will just
understand. Adoptive families are built on love, and the grace of God.
My main characters, Harriet and Holden Reynolds, were adopted at birth, just like my twins. My primary goal throughout the book was to keep it light, funny, true-to-life …
and to gradually introduce the theme of adoption.
Why?
Because adoptive families are like other families! We have the same struggles and frustrations,the same joys and tears, the same hard days and good days. What makes us different is the intentionality of our families. And—the fact that we don’t always look alike!
Check out the first of the series! I promise you will laugh. If you don’t, well … better stick to more mundane reading material (insert laughing emoji). Happy reading!
Amazon.com: Hoppin' John Soup and Turtle Wax: 9798345239599: McCabe, Kristi, Burgan, Amy, McCabe, Sydney: Books
