Adoption Creed:
Not flesh of my flesh nor bone of my bone, But still miraculously my own. Never forget for a single minute, you didn't grow from my heart, but in it.

Adoption is when a child grew in its mommy's heart instead of her tummy.

The adoption was hard - the LOVE is easy.

Always remember, we looked far and wide, and then we chose you!!

Babies are always more trouble than you thought - and more wonderful than you ever dreamed. -Charles Osgood

Brothers/sisters by chance - friends by choice.

Especially picked by your MOM and DAD!

A Family Is Made with Love.

Home is where you are loved unconditionally - where you feel safe from all harm.

I would take your pain,
I would hurt your hurt,
I'm your mom in name alone,
if not from birth.

Legacy of an Adopted Child
Once there were two women, Who may not have known each other.
One you do not remember, The other you call mother.
Two different lives, Shaped to make you one.
One becomes your guiding star, The other became your sun.
The first gave you life, The second taught you to live it.
The first gave you a need for love, The second was there to give it.
One gave you a nationality, The other gave you a name.
One gave you talent, The other gave you an aim.
One gave you emotions, The other calmed your fears.
One saw your bright beautiful eyes, The other dried your tears.
One sought for you a home that she could not provide.
The other prayed for a child, her hopes were not denied.
And now you ask me through your tears, The age old question
Unanswered through the years: Heredity or environment.
Which are you a product of? Neither my darling, neither.
You came from two families giving two kinds of love.
- Author Unknown

My Forever Family - Forever and a Day.

One in a million (make a crowd of hearts all red then slip pink one in the middle)

"They told us our chances of being adopted would be better if we were split-up. We talked it over. We're going to take our chances." This is the decision many children have to face in our adoption system. In the US alone in 2003, over 134,000 children wait in foster care for adoptive families. Many are sibling groups that need to stay together; others are older or may have special needs. Yet they all have something in common: a desire to be part of a permanent loving family. -Dave Thomas foundation, Owner of Wendy's restaurants, and was adopted.

Two Women Love You - One in her memory and One in your life!

Some people come into our lives and quickly go.
Some stay for awhile and leave footprints on our hearts and we are never the same.

Spread love everywhere you go: first of all in your own house. Give love to your children, to your wife or husband, to a next door neighbor. Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God's kindness; kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile, kindness in your warm greeting. - Mother Teresa (1910-1997, Albanian-born Roman Catholic Missionary)

This is my favorite place - inside your hug!

We are the world, we are the children. - Lyonal Richie, Michael Jackson (lyrics)

We're not sisters by birth but we knew from the start,
God put us together to be sisters of the heart.

What you are will show in what you do. - Thomas Edison (1847-1931, American Inventor, Founder of GE)

You were with us for such a short time,
but you'll stay in our hearts forever!

You may not be from my body, but you will always be a part of my heart.

HOPE
I have a new life
New mom, New dad
New sister, New brother
New friends to play with
New house, New school, New teacher
New toys, Treehouse to play in
Dog that licks me, Bike to ride, Cat that purrs
I have a family, Happy feelings, Caring people
I am wanted
I am loved
I have hope

Ryan Town, age 11, adopted through Adopt America Network 2000

Well-Known Adopted Persons and Adopting Parents

Adopted Persons:

Alexander the Great - King of Macedonia, 356-323 B.C.
Andy Berlin - entrepreneur: chairman of Belin Cameron & Partners
Anthony Williams - politician
Aristotle - philosopher
Art Linkletter - comedian
Bill Clinton – 42rd President of the United States
Bo Diddley - musician, performer
Brent Jasmer - actor
Buffy Sainte-Marie - musician, actress
Carl Theodor Dreyer - Danish film director
Charles Dickens - writer
Charlotte Anne Lopez - Miss Teen USA
Christina Crawford - author
Clarissa Pinkola Estes - author
Crazy Horse - Lakota war chief
Dan O'Brien - decathlete
Daunte Culpepper - football player
Dave Thomas - entrepreneur: founder of Wendy's
Debbi Harry - singer
Edgar Allen Poe - poet, writer
Edward Albee - playwright
Eleanor Roosevelt - First Lady
Eric Dickerson - athlete
Faith Daniels - news anchor
Faith Hill - country singer
Freddie Bartholomew - actor
Gary Coleman - actor
George Washington Carver - inventor
Greg Louganis - diver
Halle Berry - actress
Ingrid Bergman - actress
James McArthur - actor
James Michener - author
Jean Jacques Rousseau - philosopher
Jesse Jackson - minister
Jett Williams - country singer and author
Jim Palmer - athlete
John J. Audubon - naturalist
John Lennon - musician-Beatles
Langston Hughes - poet and writer
Larry Ellison - entrepreneur: chief executive of Oracle
Leo Tolstoy - writer
Les Brown - motivational speaker
Louisa May Alcott - writer
Lynnette Cole - Miss USA 2000
Malcolm X - civil rights leader
Marilyn Monroe - actress
Mark Acre - athlete
Mark Twain - writer
Matthew Laborteaux - actor
Melissa Gilbert - actress
Michael Reagan - dancer
Moses - adopted by the princess of Egypt (Bible) - Biblical leader
Nancy Reagan - First Lady
Nat King Cole - singer
Nelson Mandela - politician
Patrick Laborteaux - actor
Peter and Kitty Carruthers - figure skaters
President Gerald Ford - politician- adopted by step-father
President William Clinton - politician- adopted by step-father
Priscilla Presley - actress
Ray Liotta - actor
Reno - performance artist, comedian
Rep. Jim Lightfoot - politician
Richard Burton - actor
Sara Gilbert - actress
Sarah McLachlan - singer
Scott Hamilton - figure skater
Sen. Paull H. Shin - politician
Sen. Robert Byrd - politician
Shari Belafonte-Harper - actress
Steve Jobs - entrepreneur: co-founder of Apple computer
Surya Bonaly - figure skater
Tim Green - football player/commentator
Tom Monaghan - entrepreneur Domionos Pizza
Tommy Davidson - comedian
Victoria Rowell - actress
Wilson Riles - educator

Adopting Parents:

Al Roker - news anchor
Angelina Jolie - actress
Art Buchwald - comedian
Arthur Ochs Sulzberger, Sr. - publisher
Brad Pitt - actor
Barbara Walters - famous journalist
Ben Stein - actor and game show host
Bette Davis - actress
Bob Hope (Deloris) - entertainer
Brooke Adams - actress
Burt Reynolds - actor
Calista Flockhart - actress
Cecil B. De Mille - film director
Charles Bronson - actor
Connie Chung - news anchor - journalist
Dale Evans - country singer
Dan Marino - football player
Dan Wilson - Seattle Mariners (baseball)
David Kelley - television producer
Diane Keaton - actress
Dianne Wiest - actress
Donna Mills - actress
Ed McMahon - entertainer
Erma Bombeck - comedienne -author - journalist
Estelle Parsons - actress
Eve Arden - actress
Father Flanagan - founder of Boys Town -Nebraska
Father George Clements - minister
Gail Sheehy - writer
Gary Merrill - actor
George Burns - comedian
George Lucas - film director
Gloria Swanson - actress
Gracie Allen - comedian
Hank Williams, Sr. - country music legend
Harry Belafonte - singer
Hawkshaw Hawkins - WWVA Jamboree and WSM Grand Ole Opry
Hedy Lamarr - actress
Helen Hays - actress
Henry Fonda - actor
Horace George Hamilton - administrator
Isabella Rossellini - -actress
Jamie Lee Curtis - actress
Jane Fonda - actress
Jane Wallace - TV personality
Jane Wyman - actress
Jann Wenner - publisher
Jill Ireland - actress
Jill Krementz - author
Jim Palmer - athlete
Jo Beth Williams - actress
Joan Didion - author
Joann Woodward - actress
Joan Fontaine - actress
John DeLorean - entrepreneur
John Denver - singer
John Gregory Dunne - author
Josephine Baker - singer and dancer
Judy Woodruff - news anchor
Julie Andrews - actress
Karen Grassle - actress
Kate Capshaw - actress
Kate Jackson - actress
Kirby Puckett - athlete
Kirstie Alley - actress
Kris Kristofferson - singer
Kurt Vonnegut - author
Linda Ronstadt - singer
Loni Anderson - actress
Louis Gossett, Jr - actor.
Magic Johnson - athlete
Marcia Wallace - actress
Marie Osmond - singer
Maury Povich - news anchor
Mia Farrow - actress
Michelle Pfeiffer - actress
Natalie Williams - Utah Starz (WNBA)
Nell Carter - entertainer
Nicole Kidman - actress
Oscar de la Renta - designer
Ozzy Osbourne - musician -TV
Parker Stevenson - actor
Patti LaBelle - singer
Paul Newman - actor - philanthropist
Paula Poundstone - comedian
Pearl Bailey - singer
Peter Falk - actor
President Ronald Reagan - politician-California
Regina Belle - singer
Rep.James Leach - politician
Richard King Mellon - financier
Robert Fulghum - writer
Rosie O'Donnell - actress, talk show host
Roy Rogers - country entertainer
Sally Jessy Raphael - talk show host
Sammy Davis, Jr. - entertainer
Sarah Purcell - entertainer
Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell - politician
Sen. Gordon Humphrey - politician
Sen. John McCain - politician -Arizona
Sen. Lloyd Bentsen - politician
Sen. Paul Simon - politician -Illinois
Sen. Paull H. Shin - politician
Senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson - Texas
Sharon) Osbourne -wife of Ozzy- talk show host
Sharon Stone - actress
Sir Christopher Guest - actor
Stephen Spielberg - film director
Steven Curtis Chapman - Christian musician
Susan Ruttan - actress
Taurean Blacque - actor
Ted Danson - actor
Teri Garr - actress
Tom Cruise - actor
Valerie Harper - actress
Victoria Rowell - actress
Walt (and Lily) Disney - founder of Disney Enterprises
William Delahunt - politician
Willie Mays - athlete Baseball player and coach