So I babysat, as a kid, for our next door neighbors that were foster parents, and later adoptive parents to twin boys. I think they had a hard time conceiving their first child...but I was 14 and didn't know there was such a thing as difficultly in conception.
I often think about how our "privileged" home should provide shelter for children that are "unwanted". I'm a big support of Pro-Choice; but I also believe that children shouldn't suffer for the "parents" choice. Which leads me to Foster Parenting. I see myself (and Lisa) offering a child a life that includes love. A life that says, biologically you aren't ours, but mentally you are. Because that is how I feel about Stellanne.
I applied the other day for Lisa and I to be Foster Parents. Lisa is afraid that we will become attached to a child that we foster and get them taken away. I'm afraid of that too...but I think - what about the children that will just know that we love them enough to hurt if they get taken away? I get choked up thinking about children that don't know any kind of love. Every child should know the same type of Love that Lisa and I give Stellanne.
I don't understand people that aren't pro-choice. I get it, you hate that a "life" was made and is being "destroyed" but you don't think about anything past that first 9 months. Where will this child find love, how will they cope, how will they live? Where will the money come from to provide them "security"?
Could I ever abort a child? No, I don't think I could. But I can also afford to have/love a child. And It was hard for us to conceive Stellanne. So I have a different perspective.
I also have a different perspective because Stellanne and I share absolutely no blood line. Would you EVER be able to tell? I don't think so. She is the perfect case of Nature vs. Nuture. She knows I'm MaMa because I nuture her. I love her more than I can ever express. And I'm sure that other parents know the same feeling. I also think that I can offer that same love to a foster child. Someone that REALLY needs it. Foster Children face so much adversity.....love from a parent shouldn't be one of those things.
I dont' know if we'll become foster parents. But I hope so. I think that we should care for the children that haven't been cared for rather than caring for children that are biologically related to us. My mom's best friend (Suzy) has talked numerous times about being a responsible parent....ie: not over populating the world. She argues that if you want a biological child, you should have ONE, but other children should be adopted. I agree. We owe it to the US to adopt children that aren't "wanted". They deserve a life filled with love just as Stellanne derserves a life filled with love.
I think being Pro-Choice means being Pro-Adoption....