The Hunt

My family and I are searching for a new house. My husband and I have lived in the same house since we got married. He actually bought the house long before he met and married me. But now that our family has grown, it's time to move in to something that better fits our lifestyle.

My 'free' time is now full of looking at prospective homes online, reading about their age, construction and looking at pictures taken to accentuate their positive features.

I hate to think of choosing which child to adopt or which family to place your child in as shopping. At the same time I understand the desire to find that child that will fit in with the family. My friends have adopted two children from the same country and are quick to tell them they are special because they were chosen.

At the time of my closed adoption, I chose my birthdaughter's family based on a one-page, typed summary of the couples' yearly income, hobbies, pets and whether or not the woman desired to stay at home. I had no pictures, and the only letters I had were handwritten 'Dear Birthmom' letters.

My how times have changed! I've seen the glossy portfolios families put together now in order to "sell" themselves.

Adding that special someone to your family or deciding what family your child will go to takes a huge amount of courage and faith. A house can be sold and another one found. But a child and a family is for life.

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