Forever Family Day

Today is the day we celebrate becoming a family.

March 6th 2 years ago (click to see that post) was the day I finally held Grace and knew that we would not be separated again.

Grace on March 6, 2008

In some adoption circles, this day is known as "Gotcha Day" but in the last two years I have learned how some people (especially some adults who were adopted as children) do not like that term because it seems to devalue the child's first family and may not consider the loss a child has gone through in the adoption process. Fine with me. I prefer to think about and celebrate becoming a "forever family". To clarify, March 6, 2008 was not the day Grace was separated from her biological mother. That happened on the day she was born. I am forever grateful to Consuelo for creating a plan that allowed Grace to have a family and the potential at a better life than she was able to provide. Celebrating Forever Family Day with Grace is not directly related to the loss of her biological mother. Rather, it is the day she said goodbye to the foster family that raised her for 5 months (she had been in two different foster homes in the 9 month time time we were waiting for her to come home). I don't really know if she remembers them or the time she spent with their family in Guatemala. I am also grateful to Lucci and her family for providing Grace with a temporary home, love, and stability. There is no doubt that the love they gave her during those months allowed her to be able to trust and love today. One wonders what a 9-month old baby knows and remembers. There are many children who suffer from loss and attachment issues due to huge transitions and experiences of loss so early in life. I am lucky that, so far, Grace has not shown sign of any detrimental effects from these separations. Maybe some day, as she learns her history, we will be faced with these issues. If that time comes, I will do my best to help her through it, as I will with every other challenge she encounters as she grows up. Because I am her mother. Forever.

So, today, we celebrate.......forever.