List of the most popular hashtags for theme #ADOPTIONISLOVE

When it comes to adoption people always look for a perfect child, a perfect healthy child and forget that “Adoption is not about finding children for families, it’s about finding families for children”. Always remember that at least we adults have been given a choice. What about kids? What if they were told to choose their parents? I guess then lot us wouldn’t be parents today. So think again, are we perfect❓ #lovemakesafamily #extrachromieveda #theluckyfew . . #letthembelittle #raisinggirls #homiewithanextrachromie #blessedwiththebest #nothingdownaboutit #trisomy21 #adoptionislove #morealikethandifferent #proudmama #downsyndrome #downsyndromeawareness #adoptionrocks #advocatelikeamother #motherhoodunplugged #changingthefaceofbeauty #igmotherhood #downrightperfect #upsyndrome #lifeisbetterwithyou #childhoodunplugged #magicofchildhood #wouldntchangeathing #dailyparenting #daughtergoals #documentingmotherhood #clickinmoms #indianmomblogger

One year ago today we carried a small, scared little boy out of the orphanage he had called home for the first 3 years of his life. This year has been full of tantrums and tears, sleepless nights and hard days, amazement at growth and frustration with our own human failings. We have learned the meaning of love the action, even when love the feeling was new and fragile. • I’m so thankful for my amazing husband and the partner he is to me. I’m thankful for loving, charitable children who accepted their new brother immediately and unconditionally. I’m thankful for family and friends who embraced and supported and loved us through this year. • God is in the hard places, and He loves His children. Of those two things I am sure. • Happy Gotcha Day, Milo! • PS I put the link to our pickup trip video in my profile if you’d like to see it. ❤️ • #reecesrainbow #specialneedsadoption #opitzsyndrome #opitzgsyndrome #familiesareforever #sharegoodness #adoption #gotchaday #momsofinstagram #adoptionislove

Took the #twins to Flight Night @cableairport by @fkstem ! Very cool seeing the old planes and watching a parachuter! #stem #fkstem #fkstemexperience #startearly #education

I love Banning with every once of my being. His birth mother is apart of him and always will be, with that said I will always love her, no matter what. When people ask if it’s an open adoption, or for details and circumstances I get extremely defensive. I know people mean well, but say things that are literally appalling. Most people assume drug use, young, poor, typical biases of a “birth mother.” One person asked,”Do you still talk to that lady in Florida?” (referring to Banning’s birth mother) THaT LADY IN FLORIDA?! How about the woman who felt as though she wasn’t ready to parent, knowing she would be judged and criticized, and much more, STILL made a responsible and brave choice to place her child when she thought that would be in the child’s best interest. I will never speak poorly of her, she is Banning’s birth mother, she made me a mother, and became my family on that day. She’s not a lady that lives in Florida, she’s a piece of my heart and a piece of my son that lives in Florida. #adoption #adoptionjourney #adoptionstory #adoptionislove #adoptionawareness #adoptionsaveslives #adoptionbuiltus #progressingadoption #adoptee #adoptees #birthmom #adoptivemom #adoptionishard #adoptionisbeautiful #lovemakesafamily #adoptioneducation #talkaboutadoption #adoptiontriad #adoptionsupport #openadoption

When do I tell my child they were adopted? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ If I’ve learned anything on my adoption education journey, it’s that secrets can do a whole lot of harm. Is there a time and place for age appropriate conversation? Of course. But hiding the fact that our children joined our family through adoption isn’t one of those conversations. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ As adoptive parents, we should keep the door open for adoption related conversation from day one. It will be our responsibility to open that door; and once it’s open, we need to allow our children to process both the good & the hard without judgement. Making space for the joy and grief to co-exist in their stories is one of the best gifts we can give them. We’re writing the very first chapters of the narrative our kids believe about their story with every conversation we have. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ We can practice telling our babies their stories before they even understand what we’re saying. We can read our children books about adoption (follow @adoption.books if you don’t already!) We can make a point to bring up adoption in normal conversation; “Your hair is so beautiful- it’s just like your birth mom’s!” and we can even facilitate conversation when we don’t have information or answers; “Your hair is so beautiful- I wonder if you got it from your birth mom?” ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ The bottom line is- there are things that will be brought up in time and at age appropriate levels, but our children have the right to know that adoption is a part of their story from day one. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ How do you facilitate adoption conversation with your child? Is there anything you wish you’d done differently? Adoptees- we’d love to hear your thoughts & even experiences on this if you’d be willing to share. Let’s chat in the comments below.

The first moment I laid eyes on him feels like yesterday and a lifetime all in the same slow exhale. It's amazing how a tiny hand wrapped around your finger in an empty hospital room and a face that holds no gene of yours-- looking up at you for the first time--can just go ahead and sign you up for always and forever. Eleven years ago today I got a text letting me know that a 6 pound 15 oz. beautiful boy had just been born. His birth mother had chosen us, but wanted to be alone with him at the hospital. I spent three long days waiting to meet him, but knew that on the scale of an eternity with him, it was an easy space to give to the first person to ever love him. And I would, every time, want her to keep those three sacred days of his life to herself, after what she gave me for the rest of mine. I know I say it every year, but it gets truer every year. My most surreal and blissful moment of becoming a mom happened because of him and only him. And from the day he grew in my heart to the end of forever, no dream of mine will ever top dreaming of him. No hope of mine will ever come close to the hope he brought me. And eleven years later he is still my wildest dream come true.

Our fearless founder, Hannah, is on the blog today with a beautiful letter to her daughters, Ezra and Olive, in celebration of their 3rd birthday today! Hannah says: Three years ago I held your birthmom’s hand as you were born into this world. I didn’t realize it then but it was a wonderful gift to be able to welcome you to this world with your beautiful birthmom—a day and a story that I will never stop retelling you. Use the link in our profile to read Hannah’s letter her sweet girls. HAPPY BIRTHDAY EZRA & OLIVE! . . . . . #mykindredstory #twinmom #bettertogether #adoption #adoptionislove #adoptionishard #adoptiontriad

when Jonas was nothing more than a wish in my heart, I started buying these linen ring slings that I prayed would someday carry our baby. it didn’t make sense to Christian or to many of my friends, but it was a tangible piece of hope that I could hold in my hands. they held nieces and nephews and babies that belonged to friends. and I not-so-patiently waited for them to carry my baby. sometime in the middle of all of this, J started growing in his first mama’s womb. those nine sacred months of carrying and kicking and wondering who this child would be were reserved for her. and now the sacred honor of carrying and wondering has been passed to me. feeling his breath, his tiny heart, his body against my chest—I wonder about the similarities between her time carrying him and mine. two mamas, two different roles, carrying the same boy. I feel so grateful for the hope that turned into truth and for a simple piece of fabric that allows me to hold this baby so close, so often. he may not have grown in my belly, but he certainly grew in my heart. . ps...each one comes with sleepy dust...swipe to see it in action! . . . @wildbird #mywildbird #mywildbirdsanderling #babywearing #mamamusings #honestmotherhood #adoptionislove #adoptionishard #adoptionbuiltus #wecouldhavemissedthis #heartgrown #peperadoption

I didn’t want to be a foster parent because I was afraid ‘those’ kids would have needs that I couldn’t fulfill. I was comfortable with my life and family and didn’t want to shake things up. God took that ridiculous mindset of mine and bent me backwards, stretched me thin, and opened my blind eyes to a bigger purpose that I never knew existed. My comfortable life melted into weekly doctors appointments, awkward family visitation, and stressful court hearings. It was HARD. But it was worth it. It changed me. It changed all of us. I would never want to be the Brittany I was before I was a foster parent. May is National Foster Care Month, and just like I did last year, I plan on sharing snippets of our story on Sundays this month. Prior to becoming a foster parent, I knew NOTHING about it. I had no clue the amount of kids that are in desperate need of homes, of love, and of forever families. I totally believe that fostering is a calling, and maybe it isn’t yours. There are still SO many other ways to get involved. Do you have any specific questions about our foster journey? Ask below! I’ll be happy to share this month. I can say this - connecting with other foster families and asking them TONS of questions was a lifeline for me ❤️