The Gift of Being A Parent
Every day in Congress, I fight for American families — fight for national security protections, fight for jobs, and fight for expanded freedoms and limited government. I want our nation’s children to grow up in a free and prosperous society, nurtured and strengthened by family. I strongly believe in the importance of family and the joys that come with being a parent.
My wife, Roxanne, and I have been blessed with four amazing sons. If you’ve ever spent any amount of time with me, I’ve probably shown you their photos and photos of their families. I’m grateful for the gifts and rewards of being a parent, especially an adoptive parent.
This November, as we mark National Adoption Month, I know firsthand the rewards and challenges adoptive parents face, and want to share my story about my journey with adoption.
In 1975, Michael Alan McCrory, an Army Captain and Vietnam veteran was tragically killed in a helicopter crash during a training exercise at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, leaving behind his wife, Roxanne, and son, Alan — just two years old. A few years later, I reconnected with Roxanne (who I first met while at a Teen Age Republican camp) and knew we were meant to be a family.
My heart was full the day I adopted Alan just as it was on the day each of my other sons, Addison, Julian, and Hunter were born. I could not be more proud of each of my sons — all Eagle Scouts, all serving in the military, and all serving their communities: Alan as the nation’s youngest Attorney General, Addison as an orthopedic surgeon in the Navy, Julian as an industrial real estate broker, and Hunter as an engineer.
Every family that grows through adoption knows these blessings, but they also know how adoption can be a burdensome and bureaucratic process and can be overwhelming. Sadly, tens of thousands of children are currently in foster care waiting to find permanent, loving families.
As Pope Francis said during his address to Congress in September, “I can only reiterate the importance, and above all, the richness and the beauty of family life. In particular, I would like to call attention to those family members who are the most vulnerable, the young.” His words are a fitting reminder that all children deserve loving families.
I am grateful to serve on the Congressional Coalition on Adoption, where I work with other members of Congress to support the unique needs of adoptive parents and children. This Congress, I have cosponsored the Adoptive Family Relief Act and support other critical legislation that helps families grow through adoption.
This year, as we mark National Adoption Day on November 21, I remember how grateful I am to be the father of four sons, including one who chose to call me “Dad” and share his life with me.
