Journal Entry

My parents had a choice, and they chose me

Since I am an adoptee I have many adoption stories to tell. My adoptive parents tried for many years to have children. When that didn’t work out, adoption was the option they chose and I was the baby they chose.
My grandparents on my dad’s side knew that the adoption was in the works, but they were not aware of when I was coming. My parents had invited them over for dinner the night I was brought home. My grandparents walked in the front door and pointed at me and said, “Who’s baby is that?” My parents told them I was theirs. Tears streamed down my grandparents’ faces as they realized that I was their new granddaughter. From that day forward, I was always their favorite. They have long since passed, but the memory of this story always makes me feel happy. Yes, I was given up for adoption but I was wanted and loved by my parents and my family.
As I grew up, when people found out I was adopted, they acted like I had came from outer space. The questions people asked were sometimes quite silly. “Where did you come from?” “Why didn’t your mom want you?” “Are you sure you were adopted?” My younger sister and I are less than a year apart in age. We always fought when we were little and because she wasn’t adopted, she would always throw the adoption card into the mix. She would say, “Ha Ha, your real mother didn’t want you.” Of course, my response was always, “No, but mom and dad picked me out. They got stuck with you!” She would then go running crying to our mom, who would laugh. She would say that my sister asked for it.
Many people think that adoptees feel less loved because they were given up by birthparents. I feel the opposite. I feel lucky and loved because I am special. I was chosen.