Yesterday morning I checked Facebook and saw another adoption t-shirt
design and I can’t ignore it anymore.
I love the hearts of those making the shirts, for fundraisers, for orphan care, for awareness and I know they are worn like a badge of honor…
BUT…
I just can’t get past it, because most of them paint only the “butterfly and rainbows” picture of adoption that simply isn’t the full picture.
I am an adoption advocate, but firstly I am a family preservation advocate and a child advocate. It’s not about adoption, it’s about the children.
Adoption is more than just having love. It’s more than joy, blessing, family, happiness etc.
Adoption is a beautiful thing…in it’s own messy way.
My assumption is the shirts are being purchased and worn by PAP’s and AP’s but I feel like as representatives of adoption (because we’ve been there or are going to be there), can we please paint a clear picture?
Not one of doom and gloom but not one of only roses either.
Having a family knit together through both biology and adoption is one of the best things ever and I want to burst with joy when I see our unique little family…
but…
adoption is also one of the hardest things I’ve done. Some days I want to burst in tears with the loss and hurt we’ve encountered through this process. I know that I’m not alone in either of these thoughts.
So my challenge, to all of us as PAP’s an AP’s. Can we stop pretending and painting a picture that isn’t a view of the full masterpiece? Can we paint a clear picture of the joy and sorrow of adoption while still protecting our kiddos hearts?
Let’s celebrate the beauty of adoption but not gloss over the loss that comes with it, both in our wardrobe and in our speech.
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Lindsie has been married to her husband and best friend, David, almost 9 years. She is the homeschooling mother of four-ages 7, 5, 5, and 3. Their youngest two children are Ethiopian born and Korean born. While always Midwesterners at heart, they are loving living in Colorado. She loves Jesus, her family, hiking, good coffee, and cooking, as well as learning to embrace Life with a capital “L”, as she shares on her blog.