shy. I'm going with that - it's because you're shy. While I sit here, chanting the excuse, hoping my tear-ducts dry out, I decided to share more about my adoption. Perhaps my posts will inspire you to write something about adoption or ask a question because I'm just a big ol' open book waiting to dish.
A question people frequently ask me is: How old were you when you were adopted? It's a great question!
I think people unfamiliar with adoption wonder if I was a curly red-headed spitfire, living a hard knock life in an orphanage, run by a drunk old hag who wants my locket. My bald hero, Daddy Warbucks, adopts me and my mangy dog. We move into a mansion and live happily ever after. Okay, I'm not gonna lie - I'm not a red-head. I'm a brunette. The rest of the story is true. Nudge. Nudge. Wink. Wink.
Okay, no more tall tales. Pinky promise. My birth-mother had me on a Saturday in June. Days later, my adoptive parents went to the hospital and returned with an infant daughter, a.k.a. moi. Catholic Charities facilitated the exchange months earlier, after the biological mother choose to put her baby up for adoption.
Together, the nuns and my birth mother, decided which family would adopt the baby. In my case, my birthmother chose my parents because they already had a son, the other family didn't. She wanted her baby to have a sibling, making sure she'd never be alone. My brother, who wanted to disown his pest of a little sister most of time, had zero say in the matter.
The adoptive family pays for the birthmother's medical care, hospital bills, and an adoption fee. I asked my mom (my adoptive mom is who I call Mom) how much they shelled out for me. She thought maybe around $1,000. $1,000! Are you f**king kidding me? That's it? I'm worth $2,000, at least. Geesh, they were practically giving kids away in the '70s. That's one sweet deal, considering my awesomeness.
Mom, now in her 70s, had a brain tumor removed a couple years ago. Perhaps, her golden years of confusion mixed with brain issues made her forget to add a couple more zeros to my estimated cost. Anyway, that's what I keep telling myself.
How old was I when I was adopted? I was an infant.
However, there are eight types of adoption:
1. Infant Adoption
2. Children with "special needs"
3. A FostAdopt
4. International Adoption
5. Step-parent Adoption
6. Relative
7. Interstate
8. Adult Adoption
For more detailed information on the eight kinds of adoption: http://www.oklahomaadoptioncoalition.org/eight_kinds.html
Happy Mother's Day, Happy Friday, Happy Weekend!
The Adopted Goddess
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