forever

Tonight, Dad started talking to you at bedtime about how we became a family. We’ve told you your story before, when you were even younger, and we keep talking about it with you because it is so important to us. We also want you to know a few things.

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1. The day you were born is and always will be the best day of our lives. The love you brought into our family just because you’re you is immense – as big as the universe. All the universes!
2. We are so proud to be your parents. Every day, all the time. Do I wish I gave birth to you? Of course I do. I think it would make it easier for you. But I could never have had a child as beautiful as you are in every possible way. So I’m filled with the deepest gratitude that you are our boy.
3. There may be times in your life when you feel sad about how your life began. It’s normal and necessary to feel that way. We’ll always be here to hold you through it all. We’ll answer your questions. We honor your feelings.
4. If you ever feel that you were abandoned, don’t. Your birth parents chose us because they knew they were too sick to care for you. They knew your life would be good because we are your parents. You didn’t do anything wrong or bad. Their sickness started way before you were born. They knew they wouldn’t get better.
5. Whenever we’ve told someone you’re adopted, they don’t believe it at first. Because you look like us. We act like each other. You belong to us and we belong to you. And maybe they see how fiercely we love you. Because we do.
6. Remember the story we will tell you over and over about how we became a family. To us, you will always be a miracle. You may not believe it now but I hope one day you will.
7. Your story is unique and yet there are 7 million people (as I write this) who are adopted in the U.S. alive today. That’s just our country. Not long after we adopted you, your grandfather (Gaga) was at a dinner party for work. He sat down at a table with 5 women. They asked him about his family and he talked about you just being born and adopted. The woman next to him said, “oh, I’m adopted.” The woman next to her said, “I’m adopted too.” And the woman next to her said, “Me too.” I love that story because your grandfather was so proud of you and the women who were with him were so proud to tell him about their stories.

I hope when you’re reading this you’ll know the most important thing of all: there’s no way in the world that we could love you more than we do, sweet pea. To us, you’ve always been our forever son and we’ll always be your forever parents. No matter what, no matter when, no matter where, we will always, always love you. Forever.