Adoption Stories

A few nights ago I was reading James his bedtime stories.  One of the books he had picked out was about a panda bear who was adopted and had to do a family tree project for school, and the panda felt sad because his family was different than everyone else.  The mother (brown bear) talked to the panda about how special adoption is and tells the panda his adoption story (the story of how the panda came to be in their home).  James didn't even let me finish the story before he was bouncing off my lap, running into the hallway, opening a cupboard and asking "Where's my adoption story?"  I went into the hallway and helped him locate his adoption story, and we quickly clamored back to the couch to read it together.

After James' adoption was finalized, I went online to snapfish.com and created a photo adoption story for James.  It is filled with pictures and tells James' adoption story in easy to understand language that can be elaborated upon later in life when he is more curious about all the background information.  James loves to sit and hear his adoption story and point out all the pictures and the people he knows.

We thought the photo adoption story would be an easy and useful way to talk about adoption openly in our home at an age appropriate level since we have such young children.  So far James enjoys looking through the pictures and asking some questions about the pictures.  This is just one way we plan to address the boys' adoption stories.  We want our boys to know they are adopted and to feel secure in the knowledge of their adoption stories.  When Sam's adoption is finalized, I will go online and create him a photo adoption book to add to our hallway cupboard as well.

Another funny tidbit...the other day (Tues.) we went in to sign Sam's adoption placement paperwork.  We talked with James that morning about what was happening.  James got upset and said "No! My adoption!"  We had to explain that yes, James was adopted, and we have already adopted him, and now we get to adopt Sam too.  It was just kind of sweet how James wanted to make sure he still had his adoption, and the whole concept is still a bit confusing at his age.