The Effects of Adoption on Biological Children
“So what is it like having an adopted sibling?”
This question seems strange to me because it feels the exact same as having a biological sister. From a very young age, I was surrounded by many families that had adopted. I remember learning about the need of adoption at church and was completely fascinated by the thought of my family adopting a child.
I was in the 5th grade when I began begging my parents to adopt. Already having three children, they promised we could support other adopting families but they didn’t feel God was calling them to adopt themselves. I spent the next few years praying relentlessly that my parents would adopt. Every few months I’d revisit the question with my parents and the answer was always the same, “Not us. Not now. Probably not ever.” But then one day several years later, the answer was different! God had completely changed my parents’ hearts and they had decided to follow his plan and adopt a little girl from China.
I remember the adoption process being very long. We would talk about what we thought she would look like, what we should name her, how our lives would change shortly. We basically just dreamed about her for over a year as a family. We gave her a name, Logan Grace, long before we ever saw her face and we prayed for our little Logan Grace before we even knew if she was born or not. I was able to witness my parents trust God every step of the way. In lots of ways, they walked completely by faith into very unknown territory. I remember lots of the questions that my parents were asked during that time. “How will you afford being able to adopt? How do you know this is God’s will for your family? How will this affect your children?” But through the fears and the questions, they continued to pursue God’s plan for their life.
Will adoption affect your children? Yes, but in the best way. Adoption has taught me the most about how Christ views me. Just as my parents don’t see Logan as their adopted child, Christ doesn’t see me as his adopted child, but just his child. Back to the original question, “What is it like having an adopted sibling?” Well it’s a lot of French braiding hair, baking together, arguing at times, and kitchen dance parties. Being Logan’s big sister is one of the greatest gifts I have been given. I never think of her as my “adoptive sibling” but just my little sister. Being able to walk along my parents during this journey has given me a heart for adoption. I hope that one day I am able to adopt children as well.
To find out more about how to begin the adoption process, click here. To find out more about the option of adoption for you and your child, visit our FAQ page by clicking here.
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