Finding Joy in Foster Care and Adoption

“When Little Buddy told me he was being adopted, my tail wagged super-fast. I was adopted too, so I know how wonderful that is. When Little Buddy asked me what “adopted” means, I knew just what to say. It means you’re someone special. Someone chose you. You’re wanted, you’re loved, you’re adored.” – Reagandoodle

If you want to explain to a child what adoption means, just ask a dog! But not just any dog—you need to ask Reagan, my teddy bear-like labradoodle. He will tell you just how wonderful adoption can be, just like he did for Little Buddy, my adopted grandson.

Little Buddy entered the foster care system, and was placed with my daughter and her husband, when he was just 11 months old. Reagan was also 11 months old at the time. When the two of them met, they formed an instant bond. For the past four years on Instagram (@Reagandoodle), they have been bringing awareness to children in need and shining a positive light on both foster care and adoption. If Reagandoodle and Little Buddy help even one child better understand the beauty of adoption, then it is worth its weight in gold. My dream is to benefit adopted children, and those in foster care.

Are you adopted? Or do you know anyone who is? The chances of you answering yes are about 99.9%.

Because adoption (especially from foster care) almost always stems from brokenness or trauma, there is still a stigma attached to discussing it. But children need to see the other side of the coin, the positive side, and see how adoption can turn that darkness into light. All adopted children need to know that they (or their adopted friends or family members) are a valued part of their forever family. When they hear the word adoption, instead of associating words such as abandoned, given up, or unwanted, we want them to think of words such as included, chosen, and loved.

He was only three years old at the time, but the closer it got to his adoption becoming final, the more excited my (then foster) grandson became. We counted down the days. We would ask, “What happens in three days?” He would happily reply, “My adoption day!” He understood, as much as his toddler mind could, what adoption meant, and that it was something to celebrate. We didn’t focus on the ugliness that lead up to the need for him to be adopted in the first place, but rather on the beauty of redemption.

If Reagan and Little Buddy could talk to each adopted child, this is what they would say:

Dear Precious Child,

Has anyone ever told you how incredible important you are? You are so important that even before you were born, God knew everything about you. He knew whether you’d be a boy or a girl. He knew whether you’d run fast or slow. He knew whether you’d be adopted. He knew what your favorite ice cream would be. He even knew what family you would one day make complete.

Imagine that! The God of the whole world chose you to make a family complete! That means you are every reason your family is a family. Now that’s important!

Always remember how loved and important you are to God, to your family, and to us!

With love, hugs, and plenty of doggie licks,

Reagan and Little Buddy