Scott Simon, host of National Public Radio's "Weekend Edition" show, discussed his experience adopting two children from China on the NPR show "Fresh Air," as recounted at NPR's Web site.
International adoption has gained in popularity, particularly as more couples wait until they're older to have children. But it's not a simple process, as FindLaw makes clear, and can be expedited with the help of a Georgia family law attorney specializing in adoption.
However, as Scott Simon said and most other adoptive parents would agree, the tedious process and expense is paid back in spades:
"I have never loved a human being or a human moment more. She immediately became our child, and our identity with her deepened every day and deepens every day even now."
That's not to say the transition was easy, though.
The couple adopted a girl from Nanchang, China five years ago and named her Elise. They adopted baby Lina more recently; Scott Simon said their first reaction was not what they had expected.
She didn't look like the girl in the picture they had received, he recalled:
"Now, we couldn't have cared less, but what we didn't want was them coming back in a couple of hours and saying, 'Oh, there's been some terrible mistake. You got the baby that was meant for [another] family and they got yours. Let's make a switch right now.'"
As it turned out, no mistake had been made and Lina had found a new home. But it took older sister Elise a few days to warm up to the idea of sharing her parents with another child, which is only natural and happens with most families.
The couple also was unprepared for the barrage of inappropriate questions about adoption, often in front of their children. For example, people would often ask, "How much did they cost?" or "Are they healthy?" Scott Simon said they often would use humor to diffuse such potentially awkward conversations.
The bottom line is that even the most well-intentioned prospective parents must prepare for the heart ache and unexpected speed bumps that often accompany the adoption process.
Related Resources:
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The Adoption Option: Types of Adoption (FindLaw's Law & Daily Life Blog)
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