Listen to the stories behind Adoption Songs in these short vignettes. The author shares the background of Adoption Songs, her own “tracks” chosen for her stories, and special appearances by those generous enough to share their Adoption Songs!
“If you are interested in adopting or perhaps you are adopted and would like to understand stories from others just like you or parents who have adopted children, these are powerful stories. If you are interested in concepts like belonging, family systems, and identity, we are hoping that we can offer you some new information.
We want to inspire!”
Lori Evans Ermi
“The story of my adoption I named ‘Somewhere My Love’ which was my mom’s favorite song. She loved Doctor Zhivago, she loved the music, she loved that song, I hear her singing it. She passed away when I was sixteen and it was real hard –it was sudden– but she is in my heart all the time. When I adopted Kate, I named her after my mom so…
…her legacy continues through my darling daughter!”
“Someone Saved My Life Tonight’ is an old Elton John tune that I loved when it first came out – I really resonated with it and I didn’t understand why then but when I laid eyes on a little five-pound bundle of joy who was just a couple days old after getting that call that there was a baby girl in my future…
…I really did feel like someone saved my life tonight!”
Lori
“Fire and Rain really resonated with us because we both had dealt with some tragedy in our lives and the story of James Taylor’s Fire and Rain has to do a lot with addiction, suicide, and recovery.
The key to the song was the lyric ‘I always thought that I’d see you again.’ My birth mother was only able to hold me for about ten minutes and then I was taken away from her and sent off to an adoption agency. I think she always felt in her heart that she would see me again.
I felt the same way too.”
Chris
“My family was very religious, and that meant mom led vacation Bible school in the summer. So every summer we would be out, and because she was part of the staff, we had to go early and stay late which meant all the kids had to play together. For me, it was fantastic because we were out in the wilderness, running all over, with no adult supervision! ‘This is My Father’s World’ is one of the songs that really reminds me of that era…
…we would sing it, but more importantly, we lived it.”
Mark
“Going from one family to a completely different family, getting a new mom and dad and making that feel normal, ‘Ripple’ really resonated with me because the adoption was the ripple that started everything and all the ripples that followed were really amazing. In the [song] it says ‘if I knew the way I would take you home.’
I felt like I was in the dark –my brother and I both were– and we finally found a home so ‘Ripple’ really meant a lot to me!”
Jamie
“We have been waiting for Declan for a long time to complete our family. He’s super smart and the best boy we could have ever imagined so we chose for our Adoption Song ‘You Are the Sunshine of My Life.’
He is our little sunshine!”
Rebekah, Ryan,
& Declan
“The Adoption Song I picked is ‘All That Matters’ by Christina Perri – I liked the positive and uplifting message that it has. She sings about celebrating all the simple things in life and focusing on the things that matter in life. No matter what the circumstances are, or where you come from, you can choose what to focus on, what matters in your life, and what to celebrate.
I try to enjoy life as it comes!”
Irene
“I picked the song ‘Memories’ from Maroon 5. The lyrics talk about loving people and missing people who are no longer in our lives. Unfortunately for our family, Will took what he thought was a Xanax and it was pure fentanyl. He had just texted me ‘Goodnight Mom,’ he took the pill, and he died instantly. We keep his picture right on the counter in our family room because we miss him so so much.
It's a hard journey… I would never change it for the world.”
Cyndi
“I believe that everything happens for a reason and that the universe is filled with a flow of energy. Being adopted was what was meant to happen to me. I’m so very thankful for my family and the whole process.
I’m very happy as to what the turn out was for that!”
Maggie
“I was really excited about the potential of meeting my own ‘flesh and blood’ having been told that blood is thicker than water by my non-DNA family for many years – I really was hopeful that could be a great story. It was wonderful and I’m glad that it all happened but it did not necessarily end the way that I had hoped.