All right I'm going to give this list thing a try. Every time someone posts a list thingy I am always intrigued and I read every last part of it. It doesn't matter if it's 10 things or a 100 things, I read all of it and find the entire post interesting. I wasn't sure what I wanted to list about (as opposed to post about), so I am just taking a stab in the dark at some things I like about being an adoptive parent. This started out to be 25 things I like about adoption. Then as I was writing it became 10 things that I like about adoption. Finally, it has turned into some stuff I like about adoption.

1. It makes me feel like I am part of something bigger than myself, in the same way that being a mother in general makes me feel, but there is something qualitatively different about the bigger picture when adoption is thrown into the mix.

2. Our adoption story has been one of the success stories that most parents (biological or adoptive) fantasize about. Not perfect by any stretch (that's another post, many other posts) but loving, rich, exciting, and passionate.

3. Being a mother of three, instead of a mother of one, has forced me to be more creative, more focused, more flexible, a better planner, a better saver, and more committed.

4. I know far more about adoption now, than I did before I adopted and I think my knowledge is very helpful for others who are considering adopting or who have already adopted.

5. For some children, adoption really is a second chance at a better life than they would have had otherwise. That is the case for my daughters and I am proud to be one small part of the reason for that.

6. For some parents, adoption really is a second chance at a richer more fulfilling family life than they would have had otherwise, just by the fact of the additional energy that additional children bring to a family. That is the case for myself and I am thankful to my daughters for giving me that chance.

Okay, that's all I can think of right now. I know there's more. I'll expand my list later.