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Saturday was a pretty amazing day: it was our adoption training, much like the training we went through before meeting Kellie and welcoming Leah into our home. Before we went, we were kind of like “We’ve been through this before; why do we need more training?” After the training though, I can *totally* see why the agency wants all prospective adoptive parents to attend.

First of all, the first time we went to training was some five years ago, when we were first approved to adopt. As much as we’ve learned by being parents—and even by being active our local chapter of Families Supporting Adoption—it’s amazing how being there with other current and prospective adoptive parents helps us to feel more “normal,” for lack of a better term. I mean, of course Leah’s normal—I don’t think we’ve ever done anything to make her feel otherwise—but it’s sometimes hard for *us* to feel normal, especially when about a dozen of our friends have given birth within the last two months. I wish I could better articulate the feelings I’m having, but suffice to say it was very comforting to know that we’re *not* alone, even though it sometimes feels like we are.

An even better reason for loving the meeting, though, was a woman known to us only as “Momma A.” Momma A is a birthmother who recently placed her little girl with a local couple, but she neither is nor was in a typical adoption situation: she has three older children and decided to place her daughter out of fear for both of their safety (hence our not knowing her real name). We don’t really know the details of her situation, but what was most important to us is just how much we’d unknowingly forgotten. While we still keep in very regular contact with Leah’s birthparents, Kellie and Danny, it’s been almost four years since Leah was born and they’ve had all that time to heal. Momma A was still very raw, and it was amazing to be reminded—without even realizing I’d forgotten!—just how difficult it is for a birthparent to choose adoption. Obviously every birthparent knows that they’re doing what’s best for the child, else they wouldn’t be doing it, but that doesn’t make it any easier for them. It really was a privilege to see Momma A up there with the parents of her child, reminding us just how much love it takes for a birthparent to make that decision.

The point is that yes, I’ve loved the idea of adoption ever since I was about seven years old and learned that my friend Ricky had been adopted. And yes, I love it even more now that my own daughter came to our family through adoption. Yet even after all that, this “training” was the booster shot that I didn’t even know I needed. I thought I was already excited to adopt. Now I can’t wait!!! :-D