Adoption

Two different lives,
Shaped to make your one.
One became your guiding star,
The other became your sun.

The first gave you life,
And the second taught you to live it.
The first gave you need for love,
And the second was there to give it.

One gave you a nationality,
The other gave you a name.
One gave you the seed of talent,
The other gave you an aim.

One gave you emotions,
The other calmed your fears.
One saw your first sweet smile,
The other dried your tears.

One gave you up…
It was all that she could do.
The other prayed for a child,
And God led her straight to you.

And now you ask me
Through your tears,
The age-old questions
Through the years.

Heredity or environment…
Which are you a product of?
Neither, my darling…neither,
Just two different kinds of love.

To an Adopted

I
Did not plant you,
True.
But when
The season is done -
When the alternate
Prayers for sun
And for rain
Are counted -
When the pain
Of weeding
And the pride
Of watching
Are through -

Then
I will hold you
High,
A shining sheaf
Above the thousand
Seeds grown wild.

Not my planting,
But by heaven
My harvest -
My own child.

But as your face is gazed upon,
framed by dark, raven hair,
no words can tell or quite express
the feelings that we share!

The wait is finally over,
You’re home at last to stay.
And there’ll always be the memories
of the joy that’s filled this day!

With love that’s brimming over
by the sign of you alone…
Welcome home, dear cherished one,
At long last, Welcome Home!

Our Family Tree
Author unknown

We’ve added to our family tree
A stronger one to make
A child from another plant
Has become our new namesake.

Just as a limb is grafted
From one tree to another,
It alters and improves the plant
Making it, uniquely, like no other.

Our family tree has been improved
Adoption made this so.
For love, much more than bloodlines,
Makes us thrive and grow.

We chose to share our life and love
And all the joys to come
Our “family tree” has blossomed
With the arrival of our cherished one.

Our Child
Author unknown

With anxious hearts and open arms,
we sought you everywhere.
You, dear child, are a gift from God,
The answer to our prayer.
No matter whether birth or choice,
A home is blessed from above.
When caring parents claim their child,
A family is formed by love.

Adoption
Author unknown

Not flesh of my flesh,
Nor bone of my bone,
But nonetheless,
My very own.

Never forget
For a single minute
That you weren’t born
Under my heart
But in it.