I Like Adoption

At the National Adoption Center we “like adoption” –thankfully we are no exception. In this beautiful video, the Dennehy’s invite us into the hearts and home of their incredible family. The Dennehy’s have adopted seven children from around the world, two from the U.S. foster care system, and have three biologically related children as well.

 

 

“People discouraged us. They thought we were going to ruin our lives by taking all of these special kids, and they said ‘you don’t know what to do’. And, it’s true that we had no experience, and we didn’t really know how to raise them. But, you see what happens with unconditional love. You give a person unconditional love, and they blossom.”

—Sharon Dennehy, mother of 12 children (nine of which were adopted).

 

As the story unfolds you see a mixture of children from all different backgrounds, with all different needs, and all different ages. Finding these children has helped Sharon and Michael find their life’s purpose; the children pour out their hearts and radiate with an overwhelmingly contagious joy that carries through the computer screen.

 

“The pure joy that will come from a rescue of a child’s life is probably the most satisfying thing you can imagine.”

–Michael Dennehy, father

Family is fun. Family is interesting. Family is people you can be a fool around and they’ll love you. Family is awesome. Family is something that I can count on.

Family is adoption.

When Strangers Become Family

We share this with you as a wish for peace and love this holiday season.

When Strangers Become Family 

by: Michelle Johnson 

Development Intern

[Written in the voice of a child awaiting adoption and a 

husband longing for a child until their worlds collide] 

Who do I belong to? 

They gave me life and a name 

but no one to hold on to 

A life of inconsistency 

Nothing’s ever the same 

Could this be home? 

or only for today? 

I’ll dream forever 

if I wake to new scenery 

of a family 

embracing me with love 

and never leaving me 

Everything I’ve ever wanted 

as far as material things 

but still so incomplete 

I wanna feel the happiness 

that only a child brings 

Fill the hole in my heart 

Fulfillment to my life 

A reason to smile 

for me and my wife 

And then I met you 

Every thing I’ve ever needed 

My life anew 

My love will help you cope 

I know your past 

With you there is hope 

No more calamity 

Closer to world peace 

When strangers become family

Potential

By: Michelle Johnson, development intern

I’d say my first week here at the National Adoption Center is only the start of a life changing experience. Or better yet, a mind changing experience. I’ve never taken the opportunity to sit down and read stories about the lives of children who were forced to leave their parents because of various reasons, such as neglect or abuse. Or hear about a child that would be separated from the siblings they’ve known their entire lives. It makes me think about my own life and question … What would it be like to not know my own father? What if my mother decided she didn’t want me right after giving birth? What if I was forced to be separated from my sister?

I attend Drexel University, one of the best schools in the country. I come from a very loving and supportive family. I have a great relationship with my parents and my older sister. That’s my reality.

But for most of the children I’ve read or heard about, this is not the case. They’ve lived in numerous foster homes over the course of only a few years. Their lives are filled with insecurity and instability. Their 18th birthday brings them a sense of fear instead of celebration knowing that they’ll age-out of the system and have no support. Their chances of ending up in jail, on drugs or homeless are much higher than someone who comes from a supportive family.

On the flip-side, I’ve also read success stories about children who were lucky enough to be adopted and accepted as part of a family. They have the parents they’ve always longed for. They no longer worry about waking up in a new home tomorrow. These are the stories I find the most heart-warming and touching. It makes me proud to work for a company that works to better the lives of children because they hold our future.

When a baby is born, you never truly know their potential. It’s very possible that they could change the world and have their name written down in our history books. But do they even have the slightest chance if they’re never given the tools to be successful? If our president, Barack Obama, grew up in multiple foster homes and aged-out of the system with no support, he most likely wouldn’t be president today. This idea, to me, makes every child significant. I believe that everyone is born with a purpose or somewhat of a destiny. A reason why they were put on this earth. It’s a shame that some of these children will never reach their full potential because of something they had no control over.

I realize now that adoption is much more than just caring for a child. It’s loving someone with different blood running through their veins as if they were your own. It’s giving someone the life they’ve always dreamed of. It’s showing people that being a parent means much more than just giving birth.

Steve Jobs: A Visionary and an Adoptee

this post was written by our MSW Intern, Liz Mehaffey

In 1955, unmarried graduate students Abdulfattah John Jandali and Joanne Carole Schieble gave their child up for adoption. Schieble hoped her baby would be given a better future.

This child was adopted by Paul and Clara Jobs, and grew up to become the legendary Steve Jobs, co-founder and CEO of Apple, Inc.

On October 5, 2011, Steve Jobs left behind a remarkable legacy, and a world that will mourn his loss for years to come. Often compared to Thomas Edison for the caliber of his inventions, Steve Jobs was a visionary, and most recently named “Most Influential Man of the Year” by AskMen.

Stubbornly private in nature, Steve Jobs rarely mentioned his adoption. However, he was always quick to point out that his adopted parents were his parents. When asked by the New York Times what he would like to pass on to his children, Steve Jobs responded, "Just to try to be as good a father to them as my father was to me. I think about that every day."

In a 60 Minutes interview, Jobs remembered an interaction that many adoptees go through. When a childhood friend found out he was adopted, she asked,

“So does that mean your real parents didn’t want you?” Ooooh, lightning bolts went off in my head. I remember running into the house, I think I was (sic) crying, asking my parents. And they sat me down and they said, “No, you don’t understand. We specifically picked you out.” He said, “From then on, I realized that I was not just abandoned. I was chosen. I was special.”

In his 20s, Jobs conducted a search to find his biological family. Through that search, he found his biological sister, Mona Simpson. As the years progressed, he became closer to his sister, often displaying the books she authored in his office, and calling her frequently.

Adopted children come in all shapes and sizes, both young and old. And through adoption, foster children are given the opportunity to flourish and grow, and become part of a family that can love and support them. The Center understands that families are created through love, support and care. As an adoptee, and speaking for the Center, we believe that “There are no unwanted children, just unfound families”™.