[JoanneFromNYC]

I read some of these quotes and poems online and others were e-mailed to me and I wanted to share them. If you are the author of any copyrighted work here, PM me and I'll give you credit or remove it, your choice.

Maybe you can use them in your child's life book or stitched on a pillow or printed out and framed

Keep in mind as you read them, they cover the many different ways of adoptive parenting; infant, older, international.

Do you have any quotes or poems on adoptive parenting to add to this list?

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"Every baby needs a lap."
-- Henry Robin

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"I didn't give you the gift of life,
But in my heart I know.
The love I feel is deep and real,
As if it had been so.
For us to have each other
Is like a dream come true!
No, I didn't give you
The gift of life,
Life gave me the gift of you."
-- Unknown

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"Adoption is when a child grew
in its mommy's heart instead of her tummy."
-- Unknown

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"Not flesh of my flesh,
nor bone of my bone,
but still miraculously my own.
Never forget for a single minute,
you didn't grow under my heart,
but in it."
-- Unknown

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"Biology is the least of what makes someone a mother."
-- Oprah Winfrey

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"He who brings up, not he who begets, is the father."
-- The Bible

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"There are no unwanted children,
just unfound families."
-- The National Adoption Center

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I did not make you in my own image;
I created you from the imagery of my heart.
~ Nancy McGuire Roche ~
Adoptive parent

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However motherhood comes to you
it's a miracle.
~ Valerie Harper ~
Adoptive parent

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One gets only a day
or two in an entire
lifetime as incredible
as the day we first
saw your face.
~ Nancy McGuire Roche ~
Adoptive Parent

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Today I kissed an angel
I knew it from the start.
The first time my angel smiled at me;
I gave away my heart.

Today I kissed an angel;
This angel child of mine
Though not of my creation,
My child by God's design.

Today I kissed an angel.
My heart is dancing wild;
Our family, by a miracle;
Blessed by our angel child.

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Longing for a child to love,
I'd wish upon the stars above.
In my heart I always knew,
A part of me was meant for you.
I think how happy we will be,
Once I adopt you, and you adopt me.

I dream of all the joy you'll bring,
Imagining even the littlest things.
The way it will feel to hold you tight,
And tuck you in every night.
The drawings on the refrigerator door,
And childhood toys across the floor.
The favorite stories read again and again,
And hours of games with make-believe friends.

The day you took my outstretched hand,
A journey ended, but our lives began.
Still mesmerized by your sweet face,
Still warmed inside by our first embrace.

I promised to give you a happy home,
And a loving family all your own.
A house you've now made complete,
With laughter, smiles, and tiny feet.

A parent is one who guides the way,
Know I will be there everyday.
Rest easy as each night you sleep,
A lifetime of love is yours to keep.

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Our Family Tree
We've added to our family tree
A stronger one to make
A child from another plant
Has become our new namesake.

Just as a limb is grafted
From one tree to another,
It alters and improves the plant
Making it, uniquely, like no other.

Our family tree has been improved
Adoption made this so.
For love, much more than bloodlines,
Makes us thrive and grow.

We chose to share our life and love
And all the joys to come
Our "family tree" has blossomed
With the arrival of our cherished one.

Longing for a child to love,
I'd wish upon the stars above.
In my heart I always knew,
A part of me belonged to you.

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My Harvest
(Carol Lynn Pearson)

I did not plant you, true.
But when the season is done,
When the alternative prayers for sun
and for rain are counted,
When the pain of weeding
And the pride of watching are through,
Then I will hold you high,
A shining sheaf above the thousand seeds grown wild.
Not my planting,
But, by heaven,
My harvest--
My child.

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Roots & Wings
(Suzanne Gulbin)

Who are you
that you should
come to us?
Your name is Wonder;
Your name is Joy.
You have come gently
into our lives
bringing purity
and the freshness
of new beginnings.
And what shall we
give you in return?
We offer you all that we can
our best intentions -
our promise of love.
We offer your roots.
We offer you your wings.
We offer you tomorrow.
We offer you ourselves.

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Our Child!
With anxious hearts and open arms,
we sought you everywhere.
You, dear child, are a gift from God,
The answer to our prayer.
No matter whether birth or choice,
A home is blessed from above.
When caring parents claim their child,
A family is formed by love

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You first came to us in an envelope
With letters, forms and such
Just two tiny little pictures
With nothing warm to touch.
You grew in our imagination
In our hearts and in our minds.
You brought us greater joy
Than we ever thought we'd find.
A phone call started labor pains
Which lasted 'til we met
Strangers brought together
A day we won't forget.
You bloomed as you were planned
In our hearts, our lives, our home.
Our child of chance, of plan, of will
You're now our very own.

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[JoanneFromNYC]

We said
We're starting on a second adoption
They said
So soon? Is that wise?
- but they didn't know
you were waiting for us...

We said
This time we want a boy
They said
Girls are easier to raise
- but they didn't know
you were waiting for us...

We said
We want a toddler
They said
It's better to adopt an infant
- but they didn't know
you were waiting for us...

They said
But how can you afford to?
We said
But how can we afford *not* to,
- since we know
you are waiting for us...

Now we need only find out who-
and where-
you are

So that you
and we
need wait no more.

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A half a world away
Sometimes it seems we're so far apart
But a half a world away
Is not too far for a journey of ther heart

My little one, my bundle of joy
I'm waiting for you
My precious son, my baby boy
I know you're waiting too

A half a world away
A child waits for a family of his own
While a half a world away
A family waits to come bring him home

My little one, my bundle of joy
I'm whispering a prayer
My precious son, my baby boy
I hope to soon be there

I hope that we
will no longer be
a half a world away.

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My child,
I carried you in my heart
before you were even born
And dared to dream
that you were real.

My child,
I carried your picture with me
since the day I received it,
And dared to love
a child I was yet to meet.

My child,
I carried you in my arms at last,
and gazed in helpless wonder
at your face,
And dared to lose
my heart to you.

And now, my child,
a dream fulfilled,
a prayer answered,
a family created,
I have dared to become
a mom.

And so now,
my precious child,
I shall carry you
home.

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One year ago today
we had an answer to a prayer
when we finally received a call
to say that *you* were there.

'Though holding only a photo,
ours hearts were lost that day
to a tiny girl in China
half a world away.

The baby face and tiny ears,
the lovely almond eyes,
the chubby oh-so-kissable cheeks
held power to mesmerize.

The distance seemed to melt away
'though still a world a apart.
Gazing at your picture,
we met you heart-to-heart.

At long last knowing you were real
a child to call our own,
the daughter we were soon to meet
to finally bring you home.

And now I hold you in my arms
and count my blessings from above
because just one year ago today
we were given *you* to love.

~Jill Work

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THIS IS OUR DAUGHTER.
We adopted her,
but we will NOT be
referring to her as
"our adopted daughter."
She is simply "our daughter".

THIS IS OUR DAUGHTER--
and the niece of her aunts and uncles,
the grandaughter of her grandparents,
the cousin of her cousins,
and the sister of any future children
we add to the family
by biology or adoption.

THIS IS OUR DAUGHTER.
There is no "return policy"
on an adopted child.
The whole idea of adopting
is a lot like marriage.
You make a lifetime
commitment to a person
with no biological
relationship to you.
You promise to "love and cherish"
for "richer, for poorer,
for better, for worse,
in sickness and in health-
as long as we both shall live."

THIS IS OUR DAUGHTER,
and we ARE her real parents.
She has birth parents
(sometimes called
biological parents),
but we are her Mom and Dad,
and always will be.

THIS IS OUR DAUGHTER,
and we love her.
We hope that you will too!
THIS IS OUR DAUGHTER.

~Jill Work

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[JoanneFromNYC]

ORPHANED CHILD

All children come from God,
for some the journey home
just takes a little longer.
~Author Unknown

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WELCOME HOME

Tonight as you lie sleeping
For the first time in your bed,
There must be something lasting
And profound that should be said.

But as your face is gazed upon
Framed by your soft, blond hair
No words can tell or quite express
The feelings that we share.
The wait is finally over
You're home, at last, to stay.
And there will always be the memories
Of the joy that filled this day.
With a love that's running over
By the sight of you alone
Welcome home, dear cherished one,
At long last … welcome home!
... Author Unknown

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PATCHWORK QUILT

Our family's like a patchwork quilt,
With kindness gently sewn.
Each piece is an original,
With beauty of its own.
With threads of warmth and happiness,
It's tightly stitched together.
To last in love throughout the years,
Our family is forever.
~Author Unknown

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LABOR OF MY HEART

I would have given anything
to be the one to know
the pain of bringing you into this world
but it couldn't be ...

Though I did not bring you here
still I labored in my tears
through the long nights I prayed
you would come to me ...

You are the labor of my heart Child,
you are the labor of my heart
with all my strength I prayed
till they laid you in my arms Child,
you are the labor of my heart ...

Blessed be the maker
of bone of other bone.
He made flesh of my desire
and today I take you home...

You are the labor of my heart Child,
you are the labor of my heart
with all my strength I prayed
till they laid you in my arms Child,
you are the labor of my heart Child,
you are the labor of my heart...

~Author Unknown

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MY SONG

You are the poem I dreamed of writing
The masterpiece
I longed to paint...
You are the shining star I reached for
In my ever hopeful quest
for life fulfilled...
You are my child
Now with all things
I am blessed
~Author Unknown

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[sunshine67]

thanks fpr posting the quotes and poems for adoption
we have 6 more days til the baby's due date and hoping and praying for good news soon!