[Continued from HERE.]


And now, for the final five countdown to the Number 1 Reason I am Happy I Was Adopted:


Number 5:

Whether war orphans in Sudan or parents whose children were abducted by the LRA in Uganda, having been an "orphan" for a bit after birth and being raised by parents that were not my birth parents often endeared me to those with whom I was working. It created common ground and helped me to earn their trust.

Number 4:

Being the Chosen One (to be read with a deep, thunderous, god-like voice):
I was handpicked (there were, apparently, two other candidates at the time.) Since none of us were very good at interviews, I think my parents did a bit of a shell game-type exercise with our incubators or cribs or whatever it was we were in by that time and I was the lucky winner. Or they were the lucky winners. Really, though, we were all the lucky winners. I did not land in my family as a random act of genetics, inexplicable and occasionally very cruel. I was a Chosen One (again, the deep, god-like voice, please.)

Number 3:

I have always liked believing that somewhere out there exists someone, maybe even two someones, who made a difficult choice and followed through with it just so that I could have a chance at a great life … I am forever in my birth parents’ debt.

Number 2:

"Because I’m lucky and I know it, clap my hands. [Clap clap.] I am lucky and I know it, clap my hands [clap clap]…" Come on, you know the tune… sing along! I’m incredibly lucky to have been adopted by my particular parents, as my life is most definitely richer and fuller for having them and my sisters as part of it.

And, at Number 1:

Just because I am.