Our story and views on open adoption

We knew from early in our marriage that adoption was most likely going to be the way that we were going to build our family. We have family that has adopted their children. They have an open adoption with their birth families that is healthy. To begin with we used to look at open adoption as a weird thing and not sure if we could do it ourselves. This all changed one day when we had our adoption classes to get fully approved to adopt. We were anxious to go to these classes to learn and meet people in the adoption community. We did both of those things but more than that we had our eyes opened wide to the adoption process, especially about open adoption. Our favorite parts were the panels of people that would come talk to us. There was a birth parent, adoptee, adoptive parent and also a special needs adoptive parent panel. We did not expect it but we walked out of those classes in tears because of how much we learned but I think it was the spirit that touched us as well. We learned of how much love parents have on both sides of the adoption for their child. There is a huge misconception that birth familes place their children for adoption and never think or want to do anything with them again. This is further from the truth from the panels we had listened to. Shaileen and I certainly have love for the birth families as well. We have talked and we consider when we adopt that they are equally a part of our families as our immediate family. We believe it is healthy for a child to know where they came from as well. In our family they will know of their birth family and know that they love them. I could write all day long on open adoption but I will cut it short today because I should probably work. Like always, I want and need to thank everyone for their continued support through everything we have gone through in our lives.