memoir, adoption
Skip to content

Getting a Little Wild with Blogging—on Four for Friday

by Laura on November 9th, 2012

1. Becoming a Parent, prompt for NaBloPoMo Day 9

Did becoming a parent change your perception of adoption or being adopted? Or did it strengthen what you already believe or feel? … How has being adopted affected your own parenting philosophy?—today’s Lost Daughters prompt

Been writing like crazy, but no, this is not my hand. I’m much less hairy, and my penmanship sucks.

In young adulthood, I thought I would adopt a baby. That worked well enough for my (adoptive) mom, so why wouldn’t I adopt? I thought this was the normal way to “get” a baby.

This may sound silly to say now, but it took me a while to recognize that it wouldn’t be betraying her and her options, for me to get pregnant.

Did having a baby change the way I think? Hell yeah. But in a totally unexpected way.

When I finally held my newborn baby after all that waiting, I knew I could never let her goEver. …

While recovering in the hospital, I thought back to my reunion with my birth mother. I knew on an intellectual level that she’d never forgotten me, that she’d thought about me all those years.

But after carrying my baby girl for 40 weeks and three days (!), and giving birth, I began to understand, deeply, viscerally, just how difficult it must have been for my natural mom. To have carried me, to have held me briefly on the day I was born, and then to have surrendered me.

With motherhood came new-found respect and empathy.

 

2. Adoption Discussions radio broadcast

Radio show host, Donna Montalbano and I chat about “perfect little ballerinas,” adoption, and  Adopted Reality. Be sure to take a listen to this 25-minute interview while you cook dinner or check your emails today.

[cincopa A8AABALi_8pa]

 

3. Writing about Adoption—Guest Posts …

So, what else have I been up to? Geez, I’ve been doing no new writing for my next book. But, I have been doing a lot of blogging for National Adoption Awareness Month.

 

4. Newsey news …

Here are some other great posts from around the web:

  • Do Mothers Think of Children they Surrendered to Adoption? at The Declassified Adoptee, check out the beautiful video (keep a tissue handy)
  • NaBloPoMo Day 8 – Adoption in Fiction by Rebecca Hawkes
  • Why do I read so much at talk about adoption so much on my blog? Here’s Jenn talking about the same thing on The Lost Daughters 
Share
6 Comments
  1. Alan Hardy permalink

    Fascinating stuff here from Laura, she speaks from experience and constant re-examining of her past and upbringing. I think such writing is not just a means for the reader of empathizing with another's story (and indeed history) but also a means of increasing awareness and knowledge i.e. it's educative.

  2. Laura permalink

    Thanks, Alan — Yes, I hope I can educate with my writing, but I better yet, I want to tell a good story — first and foremost!

    Laura

  3. Great interview!

  4. Laura permalink

    Hey, Trace – thank you! I was so worried about what my voice sounded like, but Donna (the interviewer) is actually really good. — Laura

  5. It's really powerful to hear how your experience of pregnancy gave you more insight into your natural mother's experience. Thanks for your post.
    Addison Cooper recently posted..Safe At Home? Adoption Movie Review: Angels in the OutfieldMy Profile
    Addison Cooper recently posted..Safe At Home? Adoption Movie Review: Angels in the OutfieldMy Profile

    • Laura permalink

      Addison,
      Yes, it gave me insight and sadness. But that's not to say that I could completely understand giving away a baby … Thanks for reading and commenting!
      Laura

Leave a Reply

Note: XHTML is allowed. Your email address will never be published.

Subscribe to this comment feed via RSS

CommentLuv badge

Notify via Email Only if someone replies to My Comment