An Adoptive Father's Perspective

By Rob H., Celebrate Adoption Cincinnati member and father of one daughter by adoption

The call to be an adoptive parent is a call that comes with a variety of questions, emotions, excitement and responsibilities:

• How did I get here?
• Will I still have the desire to adopt if it takes a long period of time?
• How am I going to relate to this child not of my own genetic make up?
• What kind of support system will my family & my spouse’s family provide?
• Am I going to give the proper answer when my child asks how he or she became a part of our family?
• Can I explain it with enough honesty, sensitivity and in a way that she will understand?
• Will I be a good dad?

These are just a few of the many thoughts and questions that came to my mind as I and my wife started down the road of adopting a child.

The reality is that there are a lot of unknowns when it comes to first time parenting--with no easy answers, whether a family is formed through adoption or otherwise. Growing our family through adoption has been an amazing process that required a lot of patience, and at times tested us more that I expected; but in the end, I wouldn’t change a thing.

When my beautiful daughter smiles at me, or runs into my arms, or cries for her daddy when she’s hurt, I am overwhelmed when I think I might not have had this opportunity to be this child’s father. I am humbled and filled with gratitude toward her birth mother and God. I can think of no experience I’ve had or will have that could ever compare to the excitement of becoming a father.

With all the challenges of fatherhood, I’m sure I’ll make many mistakes along the way and I’m also sure she’ll let me know about it! But despite all the uncertainties, one thing this dad knows for sure; from the first moment I held my daughter and looked into my little girl’s eyes, I was her dad.