I was very fortunate to adopt two children so many years ago! My son is now in his 40s and married and happy, and my daughter is in her early 30s, married happily and with two young adorable sons who are just such a pleasure to be around. I never looked back and am so very proud of them! If there was thing I did right in this world, it was to have them as my family!
"Anonymous," just when I think that I should maybe give up on humanity, I run across someone like you and then I am convinced that I should, you POS. You are giving assholes a bad name.
No. A man raises someone else's kids. When dad is a piece of shit married to a piece of shit. Dare I guess, someone like you. Adopted two crack babies years ago, (wife's second cousins) Welcomed them into our family. They've grown and given us grandkids.
As someone who was adopted, I can only say 'Fuck you, you pathetic excuse for a human. Real strength is shown in kindness.'. Give us your name so I can look forward to reading your obituary.
My story is, perhaps, not as poignant. My wife has two boys from a previous marriage to a wimp, lump of a biological father. The older boy went ended up at West Point. During the first year plebe-parent weekend, I went along with my wife; his father never showed up. I got a father's day card from him that year with a long hand written note about how instrumental I was to his development. I am tearing up now, thinking about it.
On graduation day, he received word that he had been accepted to a two year master's program at the prestigious East-West Institute. I spent the entire day with him in a car trying to get his orders changed. He told this story to my wife. A friend had asked him who the chinese guy (his real father) was. My stepson replied: My father. The friend replied, "Oh no, the guy that had the car, THAT is your father".
The younger boy recently bought a house and is setting up with a nice young lady that is stable and with whom he has been in a long term relationship. He told my wife that he has turned into me and that he has plans to transform the home and make the yard a nicely landscaped garden, like we had done to my homes when he was a teen.
There is something oddly gratifying and touching when I see that happen. I think that I understand what was going through my father's head during the last few hours he was sentient before he slipped away just after midnight on Christmas morning.
Sorry for the sappiness, but this post just hit me hard. Merry Christmas to all and a happy, healthy, peaceful New Year.
I have six children, only two of whom were born to me. The first one I got in a package deal with her mother. Sweetie Pie was almost three when her mother and I started dating, five when we were married (she got a ring like mommy did that day), and seven when I adopted her. I'm the only daddy she's ever known. A boy and a girl were born to us in the next few years, and a few more years later we took in my now-ex-wife's sister's three children (two boys and a girl) when the sister didn't want to deal with them anymore. They are ALL my children.
Shell, I have a similar story, but not nearly as interesting. My ex wife and myself had 3 kids. After 11 years married, we divorced. A couple of years later, I remarried to a woman who had never been married. Her dream if you will, was always to adopt, possibly from Korea. You will find that it is very expensive to do that, and we ended up going to adopt from here in America. We took classes, etc. and she saw a beautiful 3 year old girl for adoption on an internet website, of Mexican heritage. My wife fell in love with the kid from afar. But when she checked into it further, the girl had already been adopted. I told her not to worry, we had said that we would take multiple children, since it is so hard to adopt a newborn, white baby with no difficulties mentally or physically. We were open to adopting multiple kids with issues but wanted to be sure that they could take care of themselves once we had died. I said that God might have a different plan for us, and not to worry. I swear this part is true. The very next day the phone rang, from our social worker who said that she had two girls, sisters, available for adoption. They had a brother who was a bit older, but had issues that made it best that he be adopted alone. In less than 10 days, the girls were living with us. A man from near my hometown, that my family knew, a single farmer adopted the brother and we made sure that they all kept in contact through their lives. I had my first kid at the age of 19 and was happy with just one. Then my ex and myself had a second child, a boy to go with our first girl. Now all of these years later, I find myself the father of 5 kids, and would not change a thing. One of the adopted girls lives with us, at the age of 27. She had some issues, which actually were similar to many other people. She was socially inept to the point where she would have a tough time functioning in society. Plus she has a disease called vasculitis, which ended up with her losing one eye. However she is brilliant mentally. And she has found her niche, that being making art online for people who love Manga stuff. She takes commissions for drawings and delivers them online, which nets her a small bit of money. Plus she is on SSDI, for her problems, and so while she is not self sufficient she has income which helps to supplement her care and room and board. The older daughter we adopted found her biological family through her biological brother, and moved to Oklahoma when she turned 18 and graduated high school. She ended up as a health care aide, who is now travelling from different states on long term contracts. So while she in some ways disappointed me, I knew up front that when you adopt a child, even if it were a newborn, you are not getting a clean slate. Like a biological child, you learn to deal with the baggage that they have, and do the best you can to make sure that they grow up to be decent, kind, and honest people. Nope, I would not change a thing, if it meant not getting to adopt the 2 girls that my wife and I did. And after over 31 years together, we have ended up with a marriage like my parents. If you see one of us at a store, you look around to see where the other one is. We don't just love each other, but we actually enjoy each other and our time together. At this Christmas season, I could not think of anything to ask for, since I have been blessed way beyond anything I thought possible. I pray that you all enjoy the reason for this season, and thank you personally , Wirecutter for telling us the stories of those who make us laugh, cry, and celebrate together with. You obviously have given much more than you ever could possibly know. And no doubt you have a special place in the hearts of more people than you realize, including the heart of a loving God. Blessings to everyone this holiday season, and prayers that those who are not in a great place this year will be touched by the hand of God, through the actions of others.
My son and his new wife are planning on having a few kids but also adopting at least one possibly overlooked older kid in the foster care system and they've been very clear that they want me around to help out. One of the things that keeps me going is that there is some kid out there right now in a shitty situation with a better future. And by the way, in Texas if you age out of, or are adopted out of the Foster Care system and you meet academic admission requirements, tuition and fees at state universities are waived. I think my son and his wife are planning on populating the world with Aggies! I guess if you can pay $75 mil to a guy to not coach you can educate a few orphans.
Merry Christmas Ken. Thanks for the tears. I hope they have a great life and long. There is a saying for adoptees; Not flesh of my flesh Nor bone of my bone But still, somehow, my own. Never forget, not for a minute You didn't grow under my heart You grew in it. My current wife has two she adopted, an ex brother in law adopted two and a cousin has two she adopted. Lots of wild rides.
Thanks for the great video Kenny. I raised 2 stepsons from my wifes 1st marriage. Her and I had a daughter together. It was not easy at times but it was worth it as both have told me thanks for being there for them and their mother. I love them no differently than my own daughter, and they both have grown into solid men.
I must have forgotten to press the go button on my original reply, so here goes again. Thank you, Kenny, for brightening my days with your posts. To everybody, have a HAPPY CHRISTMAS!
Did the guy say Hell No? Just joking, No my niece married a great guy who adopted her kid taught him how work with his hands, to fish, to hunt, work on a car Pre1980 and be a man in a woke pussy world.
bravo
ReplyDeleteLove is an amazing power.
DeleteCC
Man, ya made this cranky old man, gush out the tears! That was great, thanks Wisco and Wirecutter for all you do. Merry Christmas!
ReplyDeleteThis made me cry. As a Dad, I don’t know what to say.
ReplyDeleteMay the Lord Bless you and yours throughout the Christmas season.
ReplyDeleteMichael in Nelson
Amen
DeleteCommitment to another's child with disabilities speaks of great love and humility. Men don't come much better and tougher than that.
ReplyDeleteNow that's a real man.
ReplyDeleteGot Damn it. I got something in my eyes over here.
ReplyDeleteI was very fortunate to adopt two children so many years ago! My son is now in his 40s and married and happy, and my daughter is in her early 30s, married happily and with two young adorable sons who are just such a pleasure to be around. I never looked back and am so very proud of them! If there was thing I did right in this world, it was to have them as my family!
ReplyDeleteAnd now you know why you were put on this earth.
DeleteI did what was right, and yes its about the best thing I have ever done! Merry Christmas!
DeleteJust wonderful.
ReplyDeleteIf not family, what else is there?
ReplyDeleteMike in Canada
Unless the biological father is dead, only a cuck raises someone else's kids.
ReplyDeleteSeriously? You're that insecure in your manhood? What a way to go through life.
DeleteFuck you, you worthless piece of shit. Do the planet a favor and kill yourself.
Delete"Anonymous," just when I think that I should maybe give up on humanity, I run across someone like you and then I am convinced that I should, you POS. You are giving assholes a bad name.
DeleteYa know when your mother dropped you on your head the first time it could have been an accident. All the rest of them were intentional.
DeleteMust be the piece of shit that ran out on the kid in the first place!
DeleteGrumpy - Listen up: around here, we are proud assholes. Also around here, we don't tolerate douchebags. BIG difference.
DeleteHand in your Dad Card.
You lowlife,just a waste of oxygen!
DeleteNo. A man raises someone else's kids. When dad is a piece of shit married to a piece of shit. Dare I guess, someone like you.
DeleteAdopted two crack babies years ago, (wife's second cousins) Welcomed them into our family. They've grown and given us grandkids.
You know, I almost didn't publish that comment just to keep in the Holiday spirit, but now I'm glad I did. Y'all are hammering the dogshit out of him!
DeleteAs someone who was adopted, I can only say 'Fuck you, you pathetic excuse for a human. Real strength is shown in kindness.'. Give us your name so I can look forward to reading your obituary.
DeleteWirecutter: if everybody hammered the dogs hit out of him, there would only be a useless skin suit left.
DeleteThe Plaintiff, formerly The Darling Wife entered our marriage with two children. We went on to have two more
Yesterday T D W- mark II and I spent the evening with my stepdaughter, her husband, and her kids. Hey have been blessings in my life.
When I have a son in law walking out on my daughter and their two young boys at Christmas, I see a Man like this one is. There is hope.
ReplyDeleteWonderful video! Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you and your family and all those who follow you here. :0)
ReplyDeleteMy story is, perhaps, not as poignant. My wife has two boys from a previous marriage to a wimp, lump of a biological father. The older boy went ended up at West Point. During the first year plebe-parent weekend, I went along with my wife; his father never showed up. I got a father's day card from him that year with a long hand written note about how instrumental I was to his development. I am tearing up now, thinking about it.
ReplyDeleteOn graduation day, he received word that he had been accepted to a two year master's program at the prestigious East-West Institute. I spent the entire day with him in a car trying to get his orders changed. He told this story to my wife. A friend had asked him who the chinese guy (his real father) was. My stepson replied: My father. The friend replied, "Oh no, the guy that had the car, THAT is your father".
The younger boy recently bought a house and is setting up with a nice young lady that is stable and with whom he has been in a long term relationship. He told my wife that he has turned into me and that he has plans to transform the home and make the yard a nicely landscaped garden, like we had done to my homes when he was a teen.
There is something oddly gratifying and touching when I see that happen. I think that I understand what was going through my father's head during the last few hours he was sentient before he slipped away just after midnight on Christmas morning.
Sorry for the sappiness, but this post just hit me hard. Merry Christmas to all and a happy, healthy, peaceful New Year.
You have nothing to apologize for, waitingForTheStorm. Not a damn thing.
DeleteWhat sappiness? I musta missed that part. Merry Christmas and thank you.
DeleteThose are the words of a real father and a real man.
DeleteBlessings.
ReplyDeleteGotDamn onions again. I hate those things.
ReplyDeleteAwfully dusty in here.
ReplyDeleteOh, my heart.
ReplyDeleteI have six children, only two of whom were born to me. The first one I got in a package deal with her mother. Sweetie Pie was almost three when her mother and I started dating, five when we were married (she got a ring like mommy did that day), and seven when I adopted her. I'm the only daddy she's ever known. A boy and a girl were born to us in the next few years, and a few more years later we took in my now-ex-wife's sister's three children (two boys and a girl) when the sister didn't want to deal with them anymore. They are ALL my children.
ReplyDeleteShell,
DeleteI have a similar story, but not nearly as interesting. My ex wife and myself had 3 kids. After 11 years married, we divorced. A couple of years later, I remarried to a woman who had never been married. Her dream if you will, was always to adopt, possibly from Korea.
You will find that it is very expensive to do that, and we ended up going to adopt from here in America. We took classes, etc. and she saw a beautiful 3 year old girl for adoption on an internet website, of Mexican heritage.
My wife fell in love with the kid from afar. But when she checked into it further, the girl had already been adopted. I told her not to worry, we had said that we would take multiple children, since it is so hard to adopt a newborn, white baby with no difficulties mentally or physically.
We were open to adopting multiple kids with issues but wanted to be sure that they could take care of themselves once we had died. I said that God might have a different plan for us, and not to worry.
I swear this part is true. The very next day the phone rang, from our social worker who said that she had two girls, sisters, available for adoption. They had a brother who was a bit older, but had issues that made it best that he be adopted alone.
In less than 10 days, the girls were living with us. A man from near my hometown, that my family knew, a single farmer adopted the brother and we made sure that they all kept in contact through their lives.
I had my first kid at the age of 19 and was happy with just one. Then my ex and myself had a second child, a boy to go with our first girl.
Now all of these years later, I find myself the father of 5 kids, and would not change a thing. One of the adopted girls lives with us, at the age of 27. She had some issues, which actually were similar to many other people. She was socially inept to the point where she would have a tough time functioning in society. Plus she has a disease called vasculitis, which ended up with her losing one eye.
However she is brilliant mentally. And she has found her niche, that being making art online for people who love Manga stuff. She takes commissions for drawings and delivers them online, which nets her a small bit of money. Plus she is on SSDI, for her problems, and so while she is not self sufficient she has income which helps to supplement her care and room and board.
The older daughter we adopted found her biological family through her biological brother, and moved to Oklahoma when she turned 18 and graduated high school. She ended up as a health care aide, who is now travelling from different states on long term contracts. So while she in some ways disappointed me, I knew up front that when you adopt a child, even if it were a newborn, you are not getting a clean slate. Like a biological child, you learn to deal with the baggage that they have, and do the best you can to make sure that they grow up to be decent, kind, and honest people.
Nope, I would not change a thing, if it meant not getting to adopt the 2 girls that my wife and I did. And after over 31 years together, we have ended up with a marriage like my parents. If you see one of us at a store, you look around to see where the other one is. We don't just love each other, but we actually enjoy each other and our time together.
At this Christmas season, I could not think of anything to ask for, since I have been blessed way beyond anything I thought possible. I pray that you all enjoy the reason for this season, and thank you personally , Wirecutter for telling us the stories of those who make us laugh, cry, and celebrate together with. You obviously have given much more than you ever could possibly know. And no doubt you have a special place in the hearts of more people than you realize, including the heart of a loving God. Blessings to everyone this holiday season, and prayers that those who are not in a great place this year will be touched by the hand of God, through the actions of others.
Good on ya! Amen Brother! Merry Christmas to you and yours!
DeleteMy son and his new wife are planning on having a few kids but also adopting at least one possibly overlooked older kid in the foster care system and they've been very clear that they want me around to help out. One of the things that keeps me going is that there is some kid out there right now in a shitty situation with a better future. And by the way, in Texas if you age out of, or are adopted out of the Foster Care system and you meet academic admission requirements, tuition and fees at state universities are waived. I think my son and his wife are planning on populating the world with Aggies! I guess if you can pay $75 mil to a guy to not coach you can educate a few orphans.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful video. However, unfortunately, I was expecting a bit of Saturday naughtiness and took a big mouthful of coffee... which I couldn't swallow.
ReplyDeleteJust what I needed. Tears of joy.
ReplyDeleteGot me all misty, WC.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas everyone!
Merry Christmas to all!
ReplyDeleteWell that was a tear jerker.
ReplyDeleteI love the video! Thanks.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas wirecutter and Miss Lisa. Y'all have a good one.
sunny
Frohe Weihnacht
ReplyDeleteFrohe Weihnacht!
DeleteNice! Happy Holidays.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas!
ReplyDeleteYou guys are awesome, telling inspiring stories of manhood. I needed this. Merry Christmas!
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas Ken. Thanks for the tears. I hope they have a great life and long.
ReplyDeleteThere is a saying for adoptees;
Not flesh of my flesh
Nor bone of my bone
But still, somehow, my own.
Never forget, not for a minute
You didn't grow under my heart
You grew in it.
My current wife has two she adopted, an ex brother in law adopted two and a cousin has two she adopted. Lots of wild rides.
That’s what it’s all about.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas & Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the great video Kenny. I raised 2 stepsons from my wifes 1st marriage. Her and I had a daughter together. It was not easy at times but it was worth it as both have told me thanks for being there for them and their mother. I love them no differently than my own daughter, and they both have grown into solid men.
ReplyDeleteI must have forgotten to press the go button on my original reply, so here goes again. Thank you, Kenny, for brightening my days with your posts. To everybody, have a HAPPY CHRISTMAS!
ReplyDeleteDid the guy say Hell No? Just joking, No my niece married a great guy who adopted her kid taught him how work with his hands, to fish, to hunt, work on a car Pre1980 and be a man in a woke pussy world.
ReplyDeleteThat's a beautiful video. I am suffering from sinus congestion and that loosened things up for sure! That is good medicine.
ReplyDelete