My wife, Claire, and I tried for a long time to have a baby. We went to many doctor visits and tried special treatments, but it was hard. When we felt too tired to keep going, we decided to adopt. That’s when we met Sophie, a 4-year-old girl who had been in foster care her whole life. She was so sweet and exactly what we always wanted.
Right away, Sophie called us mom and dad. It felt like our family was complete. But one day, I came home, and Sophie held onto my leg, saying she didn’t want to leave. I was confused and told her, “You’re not going anywhere.”
Then I saw Claire. She was crying and looked upset. She said, “We need to talk. I think we should give her back.” Her words hurt me deeply. I reminded her that adopting Sophie was her idea, and Sophie already saw us as her parents.
Claire cried harder and said she didn’t feel like a good enough mom. I told her she was an amazing mother, but then she shared that her own mom had made her doubt herself. Claire’s mom said we should have tried harder for a baby or adopted a younger child. She thought older kids, like Sophie, might have problems. She even mentioned a time Sophie had a small tantrum at the store, but it was just normal kid behavior.
While we talked, we saw Sophie standing by the kitchen door. She might have heard us. After that, she stopped coming to us for bedtime stories. She’d stand by her bedroom door, looking scared, like she thought we’d send her away. It broke my heart to see her like that.
We decided to get help from a counselor. Claire worked hard to feel better about being a mom. Slowly, things improved支线站台 started to improve. Day by day, Sophie began to trust us again. She realized we loved her and that she was staying with us forever.
One day, while we were eating lunch, someone knocked on the door. It was Claire’s mom. I worried her visit might bring back old doubts. But I was wrong.
Claire’s mom was holding a stuffed rabbit. She walked up to Sophie and said, “Hi, little one. I’m sorry I haven’t been around much.” Sophie wasn’t sure about her at first since she’d only met her a couple of times. I encouraged Sophie to go closer.
Claire’s mom said she was sorry for doubting Claire’s ability to love and care for Sophie, even though Sophie wasn’t her biological child. It was a big moment for all of us.
Adopting Sophie, the kindest and most loving 4-year-old, was the best choice we ever made. Our family is stronger now, and we’re so happy Sophie is ours.
