Archiving an Adoption Story

I have no idea how interested either one of my children will be in their own adoption stories. I don’t know if they will seek answers to questions I don’t have the answers to, or what kind of relationship they will develop with their birth families once it is their relationship to maintain, not mine.

For the time being though, it is my job (and my husband’s) to develop and maintain a relationship with the members of the birth families who are interested in doing so. Since, obviously, the kids will not remember any of this, I am trying to document it the best I can. Both kiddos came home from the hospital with odds and ends from Jane (their birthmother) and other family members. Both have gotten little gifts from her. In three years, these “little gifts” have multiplied in number, and I’m facing the decision of what to do with all of them.

Some things, like the birthstone necklace Macey was given on the day of her birth, will obviously be kept forever. But what about other things, like the night gown Macey got for her first Christmas? Or the adorable onesie that Jr. got for his?

Right now my solution is to keep smaller items (hospital bracelets, small baby toys), and keeping photographs of the children during our visits, and wearing outfits or playing with toys that have been given to them. I try to journal our visits, and conversations that Jane and I have pertaining to the children. It’s not as organized as I would like it, but at least it is somewhat recorded.

Something I’d like to do with Macey soon, and Junior when he’s old enough, is to decorate some sort of keepsake box, where all of these items will be kept. This will keep everything together, and tell a story in a more concrete way than words ever could.