You can click on the links below for parts one and two of my keynote address that I delivered at an adoption celebration luncheon last week. My apologies that I am posting it in bits and pieces. Perhaps at some point i will post it in its entirety. We'll see

Part I

Part II

Part III:

So, I am not going to give you a rah-rah speech about your decision to travel along the path of adoption. Because while you deserve to be honored and celebrated for your decision you will be better served by holding on to the awesome love that you ahve for your children because adoption just is.

I am not going to talk about how adoption changes the life of a child and the life of the parent forever. It does. But on the days that your child is behaving like every other typical child of his or her age and driving you nuts, you will be best served by remembering that the patience you possess has been inspired by the magnificent power that adoption just is.

I am not going to talk about the adoption being a Divine gift. Because there can be no question that our children, all of our children, no matter how they come to us, are one of life's greatest blessing. The blessing of adoption, just is.

You deserve to celebrate and to be honored for choosing to share life's joys and life's burdens with your children not only because they are adopted, but just because. Every child should be as wanted as much as your children are wanted not because your children are adopted, but just because. And all families should be as devoted and committed to one another as your families are, not because it is an adoptive family, but just because. Every mother, every father, every child, should be grateful for the relationship they have with one another as a family, just because.

To me that is the wonderful thing about adoption. It is so much a part of my wonderful life, my being, my heart, the very fabric of my sould that I don't know who I would be, which way I would turn as a mother, as a wife, as a part of humanity, otherwise. That doesn't mean that I can't imagine what my life would be like had I not adopted my children. I can. But that's the point, I can only imagine. I would not want to experience that fantasy in reality for one minute. I would not change a thing. I would not have it any other way. We have celebrated as an adoptive family many times over the years. So, if you don't mind, I will join you today in celebrating all over again like it is the very first time.

I thank you all fo this wonderful opportunity to celebrate and to share my thoughts and my heartfelt feeling wwith you. Congratulations to all of you and I wish you uch joy and succes in your journey...