NOTE: This is a bit of a soap box type post - and I don't know how to deal with the "other side" of adoption without sounding like a complete {BEEP}. I hope this post resonates with the love and respect I have for all people going though adoption, be it welcoming someone into their family, or helping make someone's family "more complete" by choosing life and adoption over other choices.
The other day, I was obsession over the blog stats, as I tend to do every now and again.
It makes me feel you. You know, like "Oh, look! 3 people read my blog today!", or "Yay! Someone left a comment! Okay, calm down, don't get too excited. I wanna reply. But I can't. I'll look desperate. Okay. Just wait... don't... comment back... OH I GOTTA say something!?!?!"
Of course sometimes it has the opposite effect... you know... liiiike, "How come no one is reading my blog?! No one likes me!!!"
... ummmm... okay... never mind all that above.
The point I'm TRYING to get to, is that some of the stats which are generated is how people come to my blog. For example, I can see that right now, people have found our blog through the following web sites:
- http://shirlee-mccoy.blogspot.com/
- http://raudenbushfamily.blogspot.com/
- http://bygracewearesix.blogspot.com/
- http://nohandscurrentinfo.blogspot.com/
I can see that people have found us through Google Seach, as well as Yahoo Search and Bing/MS Live/MSN, using the following terms:
- berzenji blog
- forever family ping
- china adoption older chlid
- zhongshan orphanage
These things make sense... however, people have also found us through some more interesting searches... such as:
- why is she always yelling at me?
- catch a gernade for you (this one comes up A LOT, it's CRAZY how many times this comes up)
- putting an older child for adoption in ontario
What?! What was that last one? Putting an older child for adoption in ontario?
At first I was like, wow... someone is missing the point. I mean, we're here to get children adopted, not "put them up" for adoption.
Then, thankfully, wisdom kicked in.
That is EXACTLY the point.
I've always assumed that our blog here was to help:
- advocate for adoption
- bridge the gap between those adopting and those who don't understand adoption
- be a safe place for people to start conversations within their family about adoption
- to show that adoption can work and is beautiful
But maybe it should be bigger than that.
How many times have I said that our Ping was loved by her birth parents, and that is WHY she was put up for adoption. If she was unloved, there would have been easier, safer ways to deal with the pregnancy. How many times have I said that adoption is beautiful and wonderful. But at the same time, full of loss and change.
How could I focus so heavily on "my side" of adoption and totally miss what was happening on the "other side" of the fence?
So, to any of you who may be here, not because you are adopting IN to your family, but maybe have made the bravest decision to go though the other side of adoption - and help find a loving wonderful home for you child - thank you. Thank you for giving birth to a precious loved one who will help make a family more complete. Thank you for not giving up during what ever it is you may be going through. Thank you for choosing life over other options.
May you find in these pages, a picture of love, family, and a small glimpse of the kind of future you are helping to provide for you child.