Father's Day is just around the corner and I've been struck all week with the impact adoption has had on the fathers I've been honored to walk with. I wanted to celebrate by sharing thoughts about fatherhood and adoption directly from four fathers and give you a glimpse into their father's heart.
Being a dad has made me appreciate what's really important in life. It has taught me that the little things are actually big things, like hugs and smiles and hearing the words, "Love you," and "Dadda" as well as the laughs and giggles. The fact that three lives are molded by my example is an honor and one I am grateful for. - Chris
Being a dad gives me so much joy. When my wife and I had our daughter it was the most amazing feeling to hold our baby girl for the first time. Even with being adopted myself I still wondered if I would feel differently about my adopted child...as opposed to our biological child. From the second I held Davis it has always been very clear that I feel the same about him as I do our daughter. He has been the most amazing blessing and fits completely perfectly into our family. The love and pride I feel from being a dad to Rylee and Davis is the best. The bond I feel with both of them is like nothing I could have imagined! - Ryan
I think my perspective of parental unconditional love has changed since becoming a father myself. I know my parents love me unconditionally but being on the other side of that as a dad makes me appreciate it more. I also take less for granted. I try to be in the present moment all the time now because it goes so fast. I've learned to appreciate the "small" things more. I love everything about being a dad even changing diapers, picking up messes and making sacrifices. My favorite part of being a dad is watching Jonah learn new things and experience the world around him. A child's development physically, intellectually and emotionally is really fascinating to me. Something I didn't expect from adoption is how much love I would have for our child's birth family. This is my second Father's Day, but it seems to mean even more than last year. I had only been a dad for about a month and it was a surreal time with Jonah's birth, placement, travel, etc. I was excited to finally have the title but had no idea what i was doing. Now that I've been a dad for over a year it feels more real. Jonah calls me "dada" and that is something I'll never get tired of hearing. - Tyler
Adoption definitely changed me in the sense that I'm so much more compassionate and open to loving unconditionally in ways I didn't know I could! Adoption has taught me to put all of my trust in God even when things seem so uncertain, He writes the best stories for families. My favorite thing about being a parent is getting to watch our son grow, learn and explore. I appreciate little life moments because those little things make for a lot of big memories, that I cherish. I feel very honored that God chose me to be his father, and found me worthy to guide, lead, and love him through this life. - Alex
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