A D O P T I O N

Where do I start? I wish I could tell you in words how important this subject is in my life. I can try by telling you my story. I was adopted when I was 10 days old through the LDS Family Services, through the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I was adopted to a couple who knew before they got married that they were unable to have children. They were married for seven years before they were blessed with a baby boy. My older brother was named Thomas Joseph Wheeler III after my dad and grandfather. Three years later they were blessed with a baby girl. They named me McCall Danielle Wheeler. Sometimes my mom would add "the third" just to make me feel special like my brother! Teehee. So anyway. I grew up with the gospel very strong in my life. I think sometimes stronger than most because my dad was a convert at 19. There is just something I love about witnessing a converts passion and love for the gospel. Maybe just that fact that they know what life is really like without it. It's pretty special. My dad is my best friend. I have always been a daddy's girl. I will admit, I never appreciated my mom like I should till moved out of my house. (Happens to us all). I have always known I was adopted and always been able to talk about it. But, I've never been very curious to know more about or want to meet my birth mother, what would I say? Thanks for placing me for adoption and letting me have a way better life than you could have given me? I wouldn't even know where to start. And why? What would it change? Would it help me at all? Would I ever even think about it again. Considering I was adopted at 10 days old I've never known a difference so it has never interested me to achieve any of that. The only thing I'd maybe ever want is to see a picture of my mom to see if I look like her. But I look like my dad. Tom. So who cares! This all comes to my mind because I got a call on Thursday from a sister at the LDS Family Services Center after a friend requested me to her. She asked me to come in today and simply share my adoption story. The positives of it. That I've never hated my birth mother for placing me. That I've never been envious to my parents because they're "not my real parents". That I've never felt lost, alone or abandoned by my birth mother/parents. One thing is for sure. All of those things are true. And on top of that I have an extremely strong testimony in the fact that EVERYTHING happens for a reason. That what's meant to be will find it's way. And that I've been EXTREMELY blessed to be raised and loved by my family, immediate and extended. I wouldn't trade anything in my life for anything ever. There's no one that will ever convince me that I'm meant to be exactly where I am every single day. I love my family. I love my Heavenly Father. I love the gospel. I'm so thankful for my knowledge and understanding of its truthfulness and principles. I'm thankful for the plan of salvation and that I know I chose to be here. I chose my trials because I knew the joy that I would come from the lessons they teach me. I chose my family because I knew they would be the best thing that would ever happened to me until I got married and started my own eternal family. The church is true. EVERYWHERE. And adoption is a blessing. NOT A BURDEN.