Good Evening Everyone,
I want to thank all of you that participated and helped us assemble our precious puzzle picture of Ming! I just love how it turned out, and even more meaningful are all my friends and family represented on the backs of the puzzle pieces. It is so moving and amazing to see how each one of you have helped in different areas and times of our fundraising thus far, and Doug and I are so appreciative and grateful. What an AWESOME village we have gathered here. And you are all moving mountains, and will help us cross oceans to bring our son HOME so he can get the necessary medical care that he needs to thrive. Thank you <3
Some people have asked about our T-shirts sales, so I wanted to share with you the inspiration behind the designs we helped create. The adoption community loves a good adoption inspired T-shirt, but with that being said there are a lot out there all the time for us to order and help support other families in the process. So as you can imagine there is a little challenge to come up with something original and that will appeal to others. We discovered very early-on in our first adoption process, the adoption symbol or triad. (Probably because my husband likes tattoos, and he thought there could be some cool tattoo designs made with this symbol incorporated-lol.)
Adoption is a very complex system with very deep and mixed feelings with all the individuals touched by it, throughout the gamete of their lives. Adoption doesn't even exist without great loss, and there are three primary sides affected by adoption.
There are the birth parents, the adoptive parents, and the child; thus for the triangle symbol. There are so many different emotions and situations that lead birthparents to the decision of adoption. There is often great shame, fear, desperation, feelings of hopelessness, and even sometimes relief once they know their child will be loved and provided for. But regardless of the circumstances and the ultimate decision, most a birthparents express that that they feel great loss and grief over their child. Birthdays of the child often bring back these feelings for a birthmother, year after year.
The second side of the triad: many people assume that the adoptive parents only experience excitement and anticipation of their adopted child. Many adopted parents have waited and worked for years to complete an adoption. Sometimes, the adoptive parents have had years of dealing with infertility or even loss of a child. Adoptive parents develop very intense feelings and emotions throughout the long and trying adoption process. Some adoptive parents/mothers even experience postpartum depression once they have adopted the child due to making the shift from the desire and dream of that child that they have worked so hard for, and now the reality of that child and how it has changed their family.
Third, is the child themself. Research has shown and more importantly we have heard from the voices of adoptees themselves, that one of the most important responsibilities parents hold for their child is their attitude they take towards adoption. Open and honest communication is vital when wanting to foster positive self-esteem and pride in their heritage.
We have learned from adoptees that when families either overtly or passively communicate that adoption was not a topic for discussion, they grew up with a sense of shame about the secret and a perception of themselves as a second-rate citizen. In addition, we now understand that beyond the initial loss of their birth family, there is also the loss associated with all the unanswered questions - what their parents looked like and why they were put up for adoption.
In contrast to living the life of avoidance or a secret, adoptees have told professionals that when they grew up in families that celebrated adoption and the creative way they became a family, instills respect in self. Including birth family knowledge and heritage communicated with honor, respect, and the attention that it deserves, says to the child that he/she and all that was involved in their becoming who they are is of utmost value.
Most important aspect of the adoption triad, it the heart, symbolizing how the three (birthparents, adoptive parents, and child) are forever intertwined. They all represent the new family. The birthparents give genetic gifts, the gift of ancestors, and their gift of the child. The adoptive parents give their open hearts and arms. The child unites both sets of these parents as a beautiful and unique creation both containing and binding together their heritage and their experiences.
Now of course, when written in such simplicity adoption sounds so beautiful and easy, but adoption is NOT. It's not for any of the triad. Each family situation, as the individuals involved in the triad are unique and special and have to work through things differently and at their own pace. This is also why many adoptive families speak of their "adoption journey" because adoption is just that. Life and the new family is not set once the adoption if finalized. These are individuals with an unknown history, a void, and often times scars from their life experiences thus far. Healing, acceptance, trust, and unconditional love takes time by all the parties. But most all adoptive families will tell you that no matter how arduous some families' journeys are, the child is always worth it. There is hope, that beautiful healing can blossom even from a very broken start. And LOVE really is, what makes a family!
If you are interested in ordering or seeing our T Shirt designs, please visit our shop for the various shirt styles, colors, designs, and ordering. (Portion of each sale to benefit our adoption.)
Click on the hyperlink at the right side of the blog.
or visit https://waldmancraigheadadoption.bigcartel.com
First thing Doug texted me was, "What are they doing to my boy putting him in Hello Kitty girl clothes!!!!😱" LMBO Oh Doug...!😂 
