Adoption: The Blumenthal Family

Please tell us about yourself — your location, job, etc!

We live in a suburb outside Seattle, WA. We have 2 birth sons, Spencer (5 1/2) and Blake (almost 4). We brought home Etagegn (23 months) in June. We are fortunate that we live in an area where we know many adoptive families with Ethiopian children and we have Ethiopian friends. So Etagegn is being raised knowing her culture and heritage.

We spend time with family and friends and enjoy traveling and exposing the children to new experiences and adventures.

When/why did you decide to adopt?

I knew since I was a teenager I was going to adopt. It’s something I always felt compelled to do. My husband knew this about me before we were even married so after being blessed with two birth children, it was the natural next step for us.

Do you have any biological children?

Spencer (5 ½)

Blake (almost 4)

Whom did you adopt, and from where? Etagegn.

She is now 23 months old and she is from Ethiopia.
 
What was their name, and did you rename them? Why or why not?

We kept her given first and middle name. We added a second middle name and also call her by her nickname Etta. So Etagegn (Etta) Jane Israel.

We felt it important that we honor the name that was given to her. And she was old enough that she knew her name. That said, it’s a very difficult name to pronounce so we also gave her a nickname and call her that as well. This way she can choose when she is older what she’d like to go by.

What has been the most surprising aspect of adoption?

The sadness you experience when you learn of your child’s story. The loss you feel for any living birth family. 

What has been the most disappointing?

To become enlightened to the unethical behavior that exists in international adoption and to learn that international adoption is so much more complex than I could ever have imagined. There are far more dilemmas and issues to consider. 
 
What has been the most gratifying?

Seeing our daughter grow into a joyful little girl who absolutely sparkles.
 
Did any organization or agency really help you get through the process, financially, emotionally, or otherwise?

The online adoption community was the biggest support in terms of learnings, what to expect, and emotional support. As for an agency, it may be the single most important decision you make: choosing an ethical and reputable agency. We chose Holt International for that reason.

What advice would you give people who are considering adoption?

Research, research, research. Research agencies and get involved in forums and groups that will help educate you on the complexities involved with adoption.

I also think it’s so important that a family not choose adoption unless they believe with all their being that adoption should be a last resort. Everything possible should be done to keep a family together and only if there is no other option and it’s in the best interest of the child should he/she be relinquished.  

One of the reasons we chose our adoption agency is because they have a family preservation program. Some of your adoption-related expenses directly contribute to efforts to keep the families together. Also, you can sponsor children in need so that the family is not faced with the most difficult of decisions – whether to relinquish or not. This was important to us and it’s why we have also chosen to sponsor. It’s hard to think about a child not with his or her birthfamily if the sole reason is because that family is impoverished.

If you are adopting because you believe there are so many orphans in this word that need a loving home, understand and question the definition of an orphan. Is it because they have lost a birthparent, or that his/her birthparent is still alive but financially unable to support him/her? Until we ask ourselves why there are so many orphans and what we can do to stop even one child from becoming an orphan, there will be circumstances where a child is relinquished unnecessarily or even as a result of unethical practices.

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