A Bicycle Built for Three

"Oh, he is adorable. Where is he from?" The woman at the restaurant meant well. She had smiled at Little Man as she had passed by our table earlier, and she continued to smile as she asked what she surely thought was an innocent question. We were on the last leg of a long drive home after visiting family for Thanksgiving; the fatigue was real and coupled with the fact we would likely never see this woman again, it would have been easy to use that as an excuse to give a snappy retort. I also knew I had heard her quite clearly-- she didn't ask where we were from, just him. As I quickly decided how to respond, I realized this wouldn't be the last time I'd be in this position. I chose to answer in kind by simply saying the city we were all from. I know it should be standard practice to assume positive intent, but if anything the current climate in our country prompts me to be on the defensive. When I see people wearing shirts or driving cars with bumper stickers featu...

It is once again November, which means it is also National Adoption Month. I've taken time the last few Novembers to write about our adoption journey, but this year I think it's time to focus on Little Man's journey instead. For many adoptees this month is difficult, something I've noted in the past. There has been a movement to focus on the realities of adoptees, including the trauma of adoption. While those conversations are absolutely necessary, they also scare me. I know we are doing everything we can to support Little Man, and there is no way to predict the future. It just breaks my heart to worry about what he might feel later in life and know that I am a factor in that. However, I also can't dwell on the negative. This November Little Man is happy and thriving, which is all I can ask for at this stage of his life. National Adoption Month for me seems like a good time to self-reflect -- on the past year, on the joy of the present, and on what I can do to posit...