Adoption is a very special event. It’s the day that you become a part of a family. The day itself happens very quickly. You spend a long period of time waiting to go into a court room to have a judge sign off for adoption after about ten minutes. But that ten minutes makes a huge impact on your feeling of belonging.
My adoption seemed to take forever to be finalized. I was placed in the home that would eventually become my adopted home when I was eight years old. Due to some issues with my legal citizenship because I was born out of the country, it took four years to officially become a McCrary. It was something I wished for every day before that official court hearing. I knew by that point I was already a part of the family, these were my parents.
But my name change was so exciting for me. I was in fifth grade and I remember the day I officially changed my name through the school. I explained to everyone that I was changing my name because I was being adopted and saying that filled me with pride. I had a place that loved me unconditionally and I knew that I belonged. The feelings you feel on that day are numerous, excitement, happiness, and nervousness, but when it’s over, all you feel is the love that you always wanted as a foster child.
Every person has the chance to have this impact on a child and although it can be scary and is not easy, every child deserves to feel this sense of love and belonging. My parents started their foster care journey in their early twenties. They were young, and inexperienced but hopeful for the family they would one day create. Me and my siblings were the second set of kids they ever had in their home and there were days they were not sure they could handle it. Those days will happen and there will be times you are ready to quit, but if you are willing to persevere, you can make an amazing impact on kids in need.
written by: Jerusha M.
