Carmelle Maldonado

Whenever someone finds out I have adopted, I think they are surprised by what I choose to share.

I don't talk about issues a family struggles with when one of their children is of a different race. don't focus on the disability my adopted child has and how that has impacted the family. I do like to share the experience of loving an adopted child as much as I do my biological child.

That was my initial fear when my husband and I first started talking about adoption. ould I love someone else's child as much as I loved my son? I made a bargain with God. would give this beautiful Chinese orphan a home and raise her as my own, but I wanted Him to promise me that I would love her as much as I did Eli. ell, I kept my end of the bargain and so did God. Love knows no boundaries and God is faithful!

Adopted families go through many different trials as they learn to love each other and ork toward each other's best interests. Our family is no different. I understand that most adopted children have feelings of deep loss. ur daughter will have to carry around this grief of not having known her birth parents for, most likely, her whole life. But having a child from a different race was an additional burden for our daughter. ecause she did not look like us, whenever we were out in public, she might as well have carried around a sign on her forehead that said I am adopted. Unfortunately, well meaning people thought Ivy should be reminded at how thankful she should be for having a home. t was really us that were so blessed.

Having a child with a disability brings in a whole new dynamic to the family relationship. ith us, it forced us to understand what it is to love unconditionally. It taught us perseverance, but we also experienced loneliness. here were many times when we felt like it was us against the world.

Adopting Ivy has brought a depth and strength to our family and reminded us every day what is truly important - how we love each other.