You Don’t Have to Share the Same Blood to be a Family
I believe adoption is a beautiful thing. In the United States, around 135,000 children are adopted each year. I am privileged to be able to say I am someone who is adopted. [ I am from Guerrero, Mexico and was born in Charlotte, North Carolina.] I believe that every adoption story is different. People put their children up for adoption for all different types of reasons. My birth mother was young and wanted me to have the chance at a better life, education, and be given more opportunities than she would have been able to provide for me. Even though my adoptive parents may not have created me, and I am not related to them by blood, or share the same ethnicity, I believe it doesn’t matter; I am still a daughter to my mother and father and a sister to my brother.
When I was younger I believed that to be considered a family that I had to be related to my parents and brother by blood. As a little kid I struggled to accept the fact that I looked different from my family. When I was in elementary school I never wanted my mom to volunteer for school field trips or in the classroom because other kids would often ask “Is that your mom?” and “Why don’t you look like her?”. I always struggled to answer the question because hearing the question would make me feel as if I didn’t belong to my family. But my family has never made me feel like I didn’t belong. My parents were the ones who raised me, taught me how to give, serve others, and provide me with a roof over my head. I have so many memories from going on beach trips and special holidays. One memory that I will never forget is the day that I got my dog. I wanted a dog my whole life but my parents always said no. But in the 8th grade around Christmas I finally got the dog I have always wanted. I was so happy and will never forget that day. Although my dog isn’t my parents blood and doesn’t look anything like them. My dog is still considered part of the family. As I have gotten older I have learned that it’s not blood that makes a family.
A family is a group of people that have a strong connection and love for one another. I believe a family can come in many different shapes, sizes, and colors just like people. I also don’t consider just my immediate family to be my only family. I consider my friends to be family as well. I have a strong connection, bond, and love for my friend group and they have been there for me. Family means everything to me. It doesn’t matter if I am related to someone by blood. If I have learned anything from adoption that it’s not blood that makes a family it’s the love, support, and the strong connection that makes a family. I am blessed to be able to say that I am an adopted child and have been blessed with a family that loves me no matter if I share the same blood or not.
