Families come together in many ways. This Saturday I took my backdrop and lights down to the Lloyd Center Mall in Portland Oregon to volunteer my time taking free pictures of children and families attending the National Adoption Day celebration “Oregon Celebrates Adoption“. I’ve always felt strongly about adoption, especially as our population expands and children remain hungry and without families. The atmosphere of this event was full of fun, hope and whimsey. I loved meeting all the families and seeing how they bonded and came together. This sweet little boy and his mom are so beautiful in this shot, and I can tell that he is wise beyond his years.
My favorite little boy of the day, the humble tiger
Remember, if you attended this event you’re eligible for a free photo session between now and April 1, 2012. I hope to see you again soon!
I thank all the great kids and families I met at this event for their patience and optimism. I met a lot of great people and so many lovely, adorable families. Here are just a couple of the great shots I took, each in 1 minute or less! What a day!
A few of the many families I photographed at Adoption Day 2011
Every time a child is adopted, his/her original birth certificate (the child’s truthful documentation of birth) is permanently sealed. He/she is issued a falsified birth certificate called an “amended birth certificate” that lists the adoptive parents as the child’s biological parents. This falsifying of an innocent, voiceless child’s birth record is discrimination and should be illegal. Do the children know they will NEVER be allowed to possess their truthful birth certificates? Average Joe’s serve hard time in federal prison for falsifying identity documents, yet it is done legally all over this country in vital records’ offices with the permission of judges and barbaric, antiquated state laws. The United States Constitution is violated every single time a person’s birth certificate is sealed and falsified.
Mara, thanks for taking the time to comment on my post. I want to express my sympathy for the point you’ve made. Over adoption’s history, a lot of wrongs have been carried out, and a lot of people have suffered. These days, however, things are very different than they have been in the past. More and more adoptions are moving towards complete openness. The agency that I was volunteering with, Boys and Girls Aid, does 100% open adoptions and in these situations the children are not only allowed to know who their birth parents are but are kept in contact with their birth families and so they really know who they are and where they come from from day 1. The families that I met at this event were all beautiful, loving families and it’s a blessing that they’ve been able to come together. I have read a couple of books recently about open adoption including “Making Room In Our Hearts: Keeping Family TIes Through Open Adoption” by Micky Duxbury and “The Kid: What Happened After My Boyfriend and I Decided to Go Get Pregnant” by Dan Savage. Obviously everyone’s journey is different and none are without challenges, but I hope you’ll look these books up, and look into the Boys and Girls Aid and Open Adoption, another great local agency, and be able to set your mind at ease knowing that things are moving in a much more healthy and fulfilling direction!
Today, I went to the beach with my children. I
found a sea shell and gave it to my 4 year old daughter and said “You can hear the ocean if you put this to your ear.” She put the shell to
her ear and screamed. There was a hermit crab inside and it pinched her ear.
She never wants to go back! LoL I know this is entirely
off topic but I had to tell someone!