Jane Aronson - Carried in Our Hearts: The Gift of Adoption: Inspiring Stories of Families Created Across Continents

I have been very lucky to have worked as a pediatrician advocating for children both in the United States and abroad for the past thirty years. Ive watched as many of them have become members of permanent families whod dreamed about their arrival, and their stories are as unique as they are universal in their depictions of love and familial struggles. Above all, Ive always felt that these accounts of adoption should be shared with a wider audiencethat these stories need to be told.

It has been a privilege to witness, over and over again, the miracle of a child who has traveled thousands of miles to join a permanent family grow, develop, and thrive in their new home. It has changed my life, and I am so grateful for all that the families Ive worked with have taught me. I didnt know much when I started out, and I am not sure I was that credible. I was a good scientist, but then with their love and faith, I became a thoughtful pediatrician.

I have never stopped feeling the excitement of each visit with a newly formed family after their adoption; plotting the height, weight, and head circumference of the child on the growth chart. I print this chart out for parents so that they can take it home and look at it as proof not only of their childs health but of their good parenting. This can be of particular importance for adopted children, who often exhibit stunted growth on arrival and then go on to catch up over time in most cases. Being a part of a familys journey to adopt from the very beginning is especially rewarding. We might get together for a primer session so that the family can be guided in their decision of which country to pursue. Or on another visit, I might administer their travel vaccines in advance of their voyage to meet their child for the first time. These moments are very special for a family and being a part of them is gratifying. I am continually in awe of how vulnerable, devoted, and endlessly willing many of these adoptive parents are in their journeys to parenthood, and I believe that their stories reveal much about how to overcome the struggles that all parents face.