Warner Bros. new horror movie Orphan proclaims that it must be hard to love an adopted child as much as your own.
 
Orphan the MovieIn response to a campaign that Tom Davis' is orchestrating to dispel the myths about orphans propagated in this film, let me tell you about how an orphan changed my life.
 
Actually, two orphans have become our children and changed both my and my husband's lives.

Steele was adopted in 2004. We adopted Steele at birth. He was considered a special needs child, because he is a boy and biracial and therefore considered harder to place.

Steele is now five years old. He's funny, talkative, loving and he fills our hearts with such inexplicable joy.

We also have Abel. He's only been home with us for six months. He's from Ethiopia, seven years old, and he lost both his parents to AIDS as a baby. His grandmother raised him until 2007, when she could no longer care for him and so put him up for adoption.

Abel entering our family was a divine appointment. We truly believe that God planned our family this way. He's kind, funny, a hard worker, loves to laugh and play. Sure, there have been challenges with attachment, his grieving, and everyone adjusting. But as far as love is concerned, love is here and knitting all our hearts together. It is a process, but it is going on right now and will continue.

The coolest thing about adopting a child is that you get to see them fall in love with you, and you with them. That is an amazing gift. Watching love grow is a joy beyond description. Evangeline and Steele act as if Abel has always been a part of our family. I oftentimes will tear up watching them all together, or watching Steele with Abel or Abel with Evangeline. The love between them, the enjoyment of each others' company, the affection shared is truly supernatural and wonderful.

I have posted on my blog freely about the issues faced by families who adopt older children. I have said several times how the issues are not harder; they are just different than the ones faced by families who only birth their kids.
 
But love is there. It covers, makes a way, heals, and gives the strength needed to make it through the difficult times.

I'm ready to do it again. I want to adopt a girl, around three or four years old, with HIV. My husband Dean isn't ready yet, but he isn't saying, "Never." Just "later."

I wish every family would consider adoption or at least helping others who want to adopt. Orphans need families, and I know that we needed Abel and Steele to become a part of our family, just as much as they needed us.

Please check out the Orphans Deserve Better Website for more.
Carole is a writer, artist, singer and Orphan Care Advocate. She is married to Dean and mother of three children - one miracle of birth, one adopted from here in the States, and one just adopted from Ethiopia. She blogs at The Wardrobe and the White Tree.