National Adoption Month

There has been a lot in the news and posted to the media sites concerning National Adoption Month. This has given me cause to think of the special people I've been fortunate to have in my life. First there is my own "father." He is the first man I ever fell in love with; the one who gave me "the talk"; a constant in my life, an anchor. He taught me that love is unconditional and forever. (Yes, I'm writing this through teary eyes and a runny nose!) He is the "Daddy that didn't have to be." He loved my momma enough to love her girls too. He taught me right from wrong, how to fish, camp, and swear. Because of him and momma, I have been fortunate to have "brothers" in my life. They have come in the form of friends sons (Ronnie, Ricky, and Jason), truckers that are around the ages of their girls (Ronnie), and one who has a great father, but "adopted" my Daddy too (Will)! In turn, I have "adopted" a few "extra" kids of my own. They have come into my life through my own children and there are approximately three dozen give or take a few! I have been able to witness this phenomena in my children as well. Bryan gave his heart to two wonderful girls and supported them, while their own fathers were court ordered to pay child support. These men do not have a clue as to what they are missing out on. Bryan has taken these girls camping, to the zoo, various theme parks, and local historic sites. He also has two children of his own and still manages to have room in his heart to worry about their older siblings. Scotty married a wonderful lady (Missy) with two girls of her own and finally admitted to me that when the chips are down-he will always side with "his girls." He was recently able to adopt Missy's youngest. We tease her that she is now "legal." The truth is that blood has nothing to do with those we choose to love or who choose to love us. I like to tell people that I have a crazy eclectic mixed up family. The truth is I would not trade even one of them for anyone else in the world. At a family reunion you would be hard pressed to figure out just how we are really related! I have what I refer to as "a sister of the heart" (Debbie);cousins' children that call me Auntie; and children of my ex-brother-in-law who call me Auntie. My father always says that, "We had four girls, and were luck enough to raise three of them." The reality-four girls (two with DNA compatible to both parents); nine grandchildren (only two with DNA compatible with both grandparents); and eleven great grandchildren (none with compatible DNA). What a rich legacy my parents have left us. What love and joy fill our lives because two people fell in love!