Generations Reunion

Saturday we drove to Waco for our annual adoption family reunion with Generations Adoptions.  This is an event we have come to really look forward to each year. Our first year to attend (last summer) we were able to make so many connections with families 'like us.' By 'like us' I mean,
1. have suffered through infertility,
2. have been through 'the waiting period'
3. have dealt with birth family situations
4. have biracial, adopted children
5. have dealt with sharing news and complicated situations with family, AND
6. just understand what it means to be an adoptive family.

There is so much that goes into being an adoptive family that many of you will never understand because you will never go through it yourself. It sounds harsh, but true. Brian and I have said many times how much we wish we could go back and support our friends in totally different ways now that we understand what they went through.  The emotions, the unanswered questions, the uncertainties, the fears, etc. The list could go on.  The common phrase heard by myself and many of my friends, "adoption is the easy way out because you don't have to go through child birth or gain all that weight" is ignorant and hurtful.  And although it was not meant to be hurtful, only those of us who have lived the infertility life will understand how to console one another  and give good comebacks when we hear this. =) These reasons and more is why this one day for 2 short hours is SO VERY important to our family. Adoption is all about networking, and this is how we make those connections!

Most of these friends I only get to see once or twice a year because of distance, but we keep in touch via Facebook. Passing around questions about haircare, skincare, etc has been more than helpful in making sure I am taking care of my sweet girl! Those curls don't keep themselves pretty, folks!

This family has 2 biracial beauties (a daughter one year older than Natalie), but this little man is on our 'approved list' for Natalie to marry!

My friend, Maria and her precious daughter, Jori were some of our first connections through Generations.

The picture of the shirt at the top of the page is what we got for Natalie for being at the reunion. This is the first year they have done that  and I was so excited to see them. The shirt alone was almost worth this trip, don't you think?! It's about 4 sizes too big at the moment but there is room to grow.

We ended our trip with a visit a little further south with her birth family. We are incredibly blessed to have an open relationship with her birth family and we couldn't be more thrilled. We enjoyed our time together at the splash park and anchored down more wonderful memories for Natalie to carry with her always. She is loved by so many!  All in all, it was a long day but I wouldn't have had it any other way. Blessed by adoption.......