An adoption story

My friend (and former boss) David and his family were featured on a local news station in a story about adoption. Here is the video. You’ll have to watch a 15 second ad to see it, but it’s worth the time.

Last November, my family and I had the honor of attending the final adoption hearing for their son Luke where the legal proceedings were completed.

David and I are polar opposites in political views. We used to entertain coworkers by our intense debates. It speaks to his integrity that I, as his subordinate, never had to be concerned with retaliation for my differing views. Even professionally, I could tell him where I disagreed with him. One of the marks of a good manager is knowing that disagreement alone is not a threat to authority. David understands that.

David and I got along well because neither of us took disagreement with our opinion personally. We also have something even more important in than politics in common, our love of family and understanding of priorities. Family comes first. Work is a means to that end.

When I worked for him, David put in his 40 hours a week but rarely more than that. Don’t get me wrong, that was not because he was averse work. I think he may have called in sick two days in the 5 years I worked for him. After work, he would spend his non-work time with or doing things for his family. There were a number of times that he would finish his work day, then go do more hours of volunteer work to raise money for his son’s hockey league.

One thing the news story doesn’t show is the difficulty in bringing an adopted child into the home. I know that David and Shannon’s road was not all rainbows and sunshine while expanding their family. In spite of some difficult times, I think they would say the rewards are worth the effort.

My own desire for another child (or children?) has grown, especially in the last few months. I am beginning to accept that Bailey is likely to be our only one – biologically anyway. Honeybun and I have talked briefly about adoption. Anyway, we understand it to be an possibility. David and Shannon’s example encourages me to think more seriously about it. I would like Bailey to be a bit older and I want to get my post-graduate career in place first, but it is something I want to pursue.

David and Shannon are doing God’s work. I pray He blesses them for it. I think He has.