For The Kids' Sake
Over 1 million children are waiting to be adopted in the U.S. One million! I was shocked to learn this statistic when I was working at an adoption agency in Santa Fe 7 years ago. My hunch is that the number of children waiting to be adopted only continues to grow. The reasons why so many children are waiting for families are:
1. They are over the age of 3
2. They have a sibling from whom they refuse to be separated
3. They have special developmental or physical needs
4. They are children of color

Frankly, I don't know what makes me sadder: the number of children waiting to be adopted or the reasons why they are waiting. The World Association of Children and Parents has a really great Web site for anyone who has ever had an inkling about becoming an adoptive parent. They have a photo album of children awaiting adoption, stories from parents about their adoption journeys as well as other helpful adoption resources, including financial resources for low-income families considering adoption.

I once heard Bill T. Jones say about his decidedly non-traditional-looking dance troupe, "There are lots of good bodies for dancing." I think the same can be said for parents and children. There are lots of good parents for children, and lots of good children for parents. They may not fit the traditional, idealized view of family, but they are beautiful, loving, wonderful families, nonetheless. Please help spread the word to prospective parents who would make a good home for these children.