Let's Talk About Adoption

Bear with me as I type this and listen to Miss A saying 'I'm ready to go' but she doesn't know where, and niether do I. (We aren't having the best of AM's. She has pooped her pants, whine like no tomorrow, thrown a couple fits, and well yeah that's just been within the last hour)
Yesterday I went to a local High School and spoke to a Family and Consumer Science class about adoption and parenting. There were 12 girls I believe. It was interesting. Definitely way different speaking to teens who either are pregnant (one of the girls is going thru an ectoptic pregnancy this is like #3???), or knew someone pregnant. Very possible that each one of those girls knew someone pregnant. Scary, but very likely. I had to be careful to not preach, or sell adoption. I was there to educate them on adoption being a viable option. They are getting ready to study adoption, hence me being there.
Because teen pregnancy is everywhere I really wanted them to know that adoption is really a great option if you are not ready to parent. Of course i can't tell them there is NO way they can, or that there parents shouldn't raise the child, etc but none the less, i did the best I could.
I shared what brought us to adoption. About our BM and our adoption experience in general. It ceases to amaze me at the lack of education. How many people think that if you place a baby for adoption you will NEVER see that child again. Or that it will be whisked away from you the minute he or she, is born leaving you just laying there trying to cope with what all just happened. It's not that way girls. I was asked if the BM could breastfeed the baby. Sure! I know families where the BM did that.
I said there are some BM's that spend holidays with the AP. Basically you as a BM can have as much openness as you desire. Do I recommend it? No. That's an entire different post.
It was a pleasant experience. Even tho Miss A clung to me and tooted the ENTIRE time. Or walking down the hallways, before the bell rang, and Mr C'man scared to death. Walking in to the teachers classroom to 7th graders just staring at you. Poor C'man he just freaked. Miss A, she was shy but she handled just fine. Eventually C'man did warm up to the room. I'm glad I was there 20 min early or I'd never been able to speak.
Oh yeah back to the 'talk'. I also told them what it was like parenting. Don't think you're going to be able to dress them in cute clothes and parade them all over. They cry, don't like there hair touched, spit up all over the clothes, clothes are expensive, they are colic, they poop everywhere at you are getting to leave, or just the mere fact you are exhausted from being up the night before. It doesn't get any easier. Take for instance to come talk there I had to wake Miss A up. She wasn't to happy. Mr C'man couldn't find his 'treat's' which he told me were in the garage. I was looking EVERYWHERE for them. We ran late b/c of it. Not to mention that as we are getting ready to leave Mr C has to go potty and doesn't button his pants up and can't find his other shoe.
Laugh as they did, it's real life. I noticed too, when I got home, I had one earring in my 3rd hole on one ear and the other earring in the first hole on my other ear. I thought yup, that's typical. I needed to get home b/c I had to get supper ready but before that I had to stop and buy cookies and balloons as my bribe for them to be good.
Now for me, this is great, being a parent. But not at 18 could I have done this!! That's what they needed to realize. I had information there about Bethany Christian Services which is the agency I used. None of them picked any of it up. I didn't think they would. BUT I left it with there teacher as I'm sure they will come in and get it.
I know there's lots I didn't touch here on my post that I discussed but I left feeling like I got it all covered. The teacher, who happens to be our neighbor, said I really hit on things wonderfully. I didn't preach but I was up front. She said the one thing that stood out was the happiness that BM gave us when she gave us the gift of adoption. She said at that age they don't understand what that means to a couple that can not have kids. Now they do.
Of course they ADORED C'man and when I'd say his name, he'd wave to me from the back of the classroom. They ooo'd and ahh'd at how much Miss A looks like Sierre Cruise (did i spell that right!)
I left saying that I'd love to adopt again. However it's expensive. I just pray that some day a situation will come to us. You never know, one of those HS girls may get in touch with us. Now wouldn't that be awesome. I hope most importantly, that others will look at adoption and see how beautiful it is.
In a couple weeks I'm speaking at a local church. I'll have to change my presentation quite abit. I don't think there will be any expecting girls in that group (they are all over 70).