Our lives have been deeply touched by adoption. Four of our five children are adopted. The year 2000 was an exciting one for us! After a long 8-year wait, we added child #4 (Brandon in the photograph) in May of 2000. His adoption was facilitated through A Act of Love Adoption Agency. Brandon was born to a beautiful young birthmom in California and placed with us in a closed adoption.

Later that same year, we were contacted by my husband’s cousin. Her best friend’s 18 year old daughter was looking for a family to place her baby with. We explained that we had a three month old, but would be thrilled at the possibility. This family wanted a very open adoption, which we hadn’t had with any of our previously adopted children. That lead, resulted in Lauren (our daughter in the photograph) becoming a part of our family. Brandon and Lauren are just six months apart. We have had a highly successful open adoption with her birth family.

This year, 2012, our “Irish Twins” (siblings born in the same calendar year) turned 12. In honor of Lauren’s 12th birthday on 12-12-12, her birth grandmother made these 12 beautiful baby blankets for her to donate where ever she wanted. I thought she would choose a local hospital or women’s shelter, but she immediately knew where she wanted to deliver the blankets. “Mom, I want them to go to the place where you got Brandon!”

So in honor of birth parents & their families, adoptive families, my 12-year-olds, A Act of Love Adoption Agency, and Kathy Kunkel, please accept these 12 baby blankets that were made by a very special birth grandmother, delivered by an adoptive mom and adoptees– with all our love!

– Maria