Adopting...

A friend of mine just told me that she’s planning on adopting two girls in their early teens. She doesn’t yet know who they’ll be, but she wants to do it through the county’s foster care program.

My friend already has two sons that she adopted as infants. They’re now young teenagers. She and her husband are in their early 50’s. She thinks a larger family would be fun, she wants daughters, she thinks all will benefit, she thinks our social class has so much to offer disadvantaged children, and should.

I agree with her on all points. I haven’t quite come around to adopting two teenage girls, but I’m feeling very moved by her decision. Adoption seems to be the trend of the times (or perhaps of my age group, or perhaps of Angelina Jolie watchers…). Three single friends of mine, having recently reached age 40, decided to adopt children. One is flying off to Kazahstan to adopt an infant. Another, coming back from China with her new (super cute) baby girl, told of a couple who had been on the trip with them. They had three grown children or their own, and had decided that they wanted to adopt two siblings. When they got to China they were introduced to three siblings and asked if perhaps they would agree to adopt all three. They did.

And what, you say (or at least I say), if there’s a problem with one of these kids? Well, my friend’s younger adopted son is significantly learning disabled. Not easy at all. And still she wants to adopt more.

So no, I’m not yet to the point of deciding to adopt a child myself, but I’m feeling the stirrings.