Hello and Welcome

by wendybancroft on March 20, 2009

Leah was adopted from the Philippines 23 years ago. It’s been 23 years of love and joy matched by anger, depression and fear. This is her story, but it’s her parents’ story too. It’s also her brother’s story and his family’s story–because adoption affects everyone.

In the first hours


{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }

1 tony dizon 01.25.10 at 11:30 pm

i know how leah feels. i am also an adopted from the philippines to an american family. after reading ya story i said finally adoptive parents r starting to understand what we have gone through. i am 34 now and my mother abanded me from the time i was born so i have no info on her other than my middle name is her last name. my parent are just like u guys and i love them to death but at the same time there is that missing part that no matter how much luv we received from our adopted family we still have issues with in ourselves. now that i have a son i understand more how my biological mother did what she had to do to give me a life that she was not able to.i hope one day i find her to ease my pain but at the same time always remember that not all biological mothers wanna be found or will except the child. if that is the case your pain can be worsened by rejection once again. thanks for the story and i hope i hear back from you.

2 wendybancroft 01.26.10 at 10:19 am

Tony I’m so glad you shared this with us. Yes it’s been a tough time for Leah. She’s 24 now and beginning to get a handle but as she would tell you I’m sure, it’s still a struggle. As a parent now, you probably also understand that your birth mother did not “abandon” you, that it was probably very painful for her to let you go and that she did it out of love. Yup you do have to be prepared for rejection but I guess if finding her is what you need for closure, you may have to do that. I never met my biological father. Didn’t actually even know about him until I was 17 and he died before I could meet him. Several years ago I met my siblings from his earlier and later marriages. It was interesting and gratifying to meet them but what I learned was that my blood family will never replace the family I grew up with who will always be my “real” family.

3 Lorial Crowder 04.22.10 at 10:40 am

a darling photo of undisturbed innocence.

4 wendybancroft 04.22.10 at 10:44 am

Thanks Lorial. I love that photo of Leah as well.

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