Back at the beginning of National Adoption Month, I started thinking about and writing about what adoption is to me.

So far I have said that adoption is a business, expensive, hope, life changing, love, complicated,... more

(Please remember that this is just a piece of my definition of adoption. For my full definition of what adoption is, you can read this whole series of posts here.)

This is my last piece of my definition of what adoption is to me.

Adoption is family.

When I look at my family, I know that it would not exist as it does without adoption. Josh and I would be missing out on so much if it were not for adoption, and most of our children would be living very different lives if it was not for... more

(Please remember that this is just a piece of my definition of adoption. For my full definition of what adoption is, you can read this whole series of posts here.)

With National Adoption month wrapping up tomorrow, the last day of November, I am also wrapping up my definition of adoption. I have this post and then one more to complete my definition of adoption, and then tomorrow I will share some of my favorite definitions of adoption by readers who left comments for the giveaway, and I will also announce the winner.

For this post, I am going to say that adoption is beautiful.

One of the things that... more

(Please remember that this is just a piece of my definition of adoption. For my full definition of what adoption is, you can read this whole series of posts here.)

Adoption is hard. To illustrate my point, here is a letter I wrote to myself last week during an extra-hard day of waiting (and waiting).

Dear Erin,

This is a letter to remind yourself later on down the road (when you will need reminding), that you do not enjoy being in the process of adopting (even though an overwhelming amount of evidence would show otherwise).

You do not enjoy the sick feeling in your stomach that you get early... more

(Please remember that this is just a piece of my definition of adoption. For my full definition of what adoption is, you can read this whole series of posts here.)

Adoption is necessary.

While adoption is not perfect and is indeed complicated, it is also necessary. I say that it is necessary because I know how very many children there are in this world who do not have anyone to call Mom or Dad. I have seen a teeny tiny percentage of those children and they have forever touched my heart.

I have stood in an orphanage in Vietnam, and looked at babies with their names written on their legs in black... more

(Please remember that this is just a piece of my definition of adoption. For my full definition of what adoption is, you can read this whole series of posts here.)

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!

Today for my definition of adoption, I am going to say that to me, adoption is something to be thankful for.

I am thankful that adoption was an adoption for Josh and I as parents, and allowed us to expand our family after having biological children was no longer an option.

I am thankful beyond words... more

(Please remember that this is just a piece of my definition of adoption. For my full definition of what adoption is, you can read this whole series of posts here.)

This past weekend in Seattle was an important one for me in a lot of ways. I wrote about the wonderful conference I attended for AHOPE for Children in this post and that was the point of the trip and the main focus, however there were... more

(Please remember that this is just a piece of my definition of adoption. For my full definition of what adoption is, you can read this whole series of posts here.)

Adoption is a choice. It is a choice in a lot of different ways.

Adoption is a choice for parents who are unable to care for their children. It is a way for them to provide for their children. For some parents adoption is a choice instead of abortion. For some parents adoption is a choice instead of extreme poverty and suffering. There are many other reasons a parent could choose adoption for her child. It is certainly never an easy choice for... more

(Please remember that this is just a piece of my definition of adoption. For my full definition of what adoption is, you can read this whole series of posts here.)

When people think of risky behavior, they tend to think of things like sky-diving, bank robbing and running with the bulls. While it may not make it to the top of any "risky" lists, adoption is fairly risky.

For adoptive parents, adoption is emotionally risky. You are putting your hopes and dreams into a process that is controlled... more

(Please remember that this is just a piece of my definition of adoption. For my full definition of what adoption is, you can read this whole series of posts here.)

For parents just about to get in line to ride the adoption roller coaster, let me warn you that it is not a gentle ride!! The highs are super high, the lows are ridiculously low and the turns are fast and hairpin.

Like amusement park rides have warnings that certain rides are not recommended for "expectant women, people with high blood... more