[tobeafamily]

Caroline,

Interesting thought on privacy and international adoption. A few weeks ago, I was in a video rental store with my son. There was another family in the store - caucasian parents with an asian girl.

I remember feeling badly for them - everyone was coming up to them in the store, asking if the child was theirs, how much did she 'cost', why couldn't they have kids 'of their own'. I cringed for them inside. Meanwhile, we were peacefully cruising the movie aisles, unnoticed.

My son is German, English and Dutch. I am Italian and Irish, DH is German and English. No one ever comes up to us in a store with those dreaded, obnoxious but well meaning questions. This family is on display, always, as any multi-racial family is.

So, unless you're adopting a child from a country which shares your ethnic heritage, I think you lose that privacy once you become parents in a way that is so much more invasive than any I've seen in domestic.

Not debating, just commenting as it touched on that recent experience of mine.

Regina, AMom to Ryan Joshua Thomas