Happy Father’s Day to All Fathers Touched by Adoption

Father’s Day is a special time for families to gather and celebrate the “dads” and “dad” like figures in their lives. For many of us – both young and grown up – these important men help shape our family’s story, support us financially and emotionally, and inspire us to become better people. A great dad is always there to lean on. Who else can you depend on for a healthy dose of worry, wisdom, and wise cracks? There is a reason we affectionately refer to those corny quips as “#DadJokes.”

As anyone touched by adoption already knows, a father is not made up of DNA. A loving dad who is there for his child – whether biological or by adoption – is often the first and most supportive man in our lives. It is this love and support that makes a father a true “dad.”

As June 16, 2019 quickly approaches, we wanted to take some time to show the adoptive dads out there some love and appreciation. Here are some experiences and sentiments from fathers who have grown their family through adoption, with Adoptions With Love.

As adoptive dad Jim describes his meeting of his child:

“It was such a special moment for us. Finally, after so long, and so many twists and turns, to become parents and to meet Chip for the first time was an amazing moment.”

Adoptive dad Steve has a similar sentiment:

“It was just a very overwhelming, happy, positive experience.”

Double-dad couples not only get to experience double the joy on Father’s Day, many have also experienced the incredible joy of adoption. Read what this adoptive dad has to say about his feelings on becoming a parent:

“Becoming a parent has been like receiving the best gift you’re ever going to receive in your entire life. Especially as gay men, we were never quite sure if it was going to be entirely possible for us to have a family of our own, for a number of different reasons. With adoption, we were sort of holding our breath the entire time – hopeful, but still unsure. When our daughter arrived and we brought her into our own home for the first time, the amount of joy and gratitude we each felt was indescribable. Gratitude for the birth parents for making this huge sacrifice; for choosing us to raise this little girl; and for the agency for facilitating the entire process.”

Another couple of fathers expressed similar feelings of gratitude for their daughter’s adoption:

“I mean, how could we not be happy with Adoptions With Love? We wanted to have a beautiful little daughter, and it worked out [and is] so much more than we ever expected.”

Adoptive fathers care just as deeply about their child/children as birth fathers, if not more. Once an adoption is complete and the legalities are settled, there is an overwhelming feeling of joy and happiness, just like there is after birth. One adoptive father chose to write a letter to his newly adopted son, Ben, on the day of his adoption. He and his wife had chosen adoption after struggling with fertility problems. (Note: fertility is not just a women’s issue; more than 9 percent of men in the United States face infertility problems today. If you are struggling with infertility and wish to become a father, you are not alone.) Here is some of what he wrote to his dearly loved child:

“Your Mom and I often lay in bed at night and talk about how lucky we are. Of course, we did not plan to have years of struggle starting a family.  We did our best to stay positive, optimistic and committed to our family plan. I will never forget the day we received the call and the day we first met. These are memories I will treasure forever. You have enriched our lives in ways that neither your Mom nor I could have ever imagined.

“There are times I wonder what would have happened if your birth mother chose a different family or made a different decision. Then I am around you and I am reminded that we were meant to be a family. You can call it fate, or god’s will; we know you belong with us.  As you know, you were not born from your Mom’s belly, however you were brought into this world via the love of many individuals including your birth mother, Mom and Dad. I promise you that most days you will never even think about being adopted. But when you do, I hope you know how much you are loved.  Although there are many other adopted children in this world, you are truly special.”

Happy Father’s Day to You

To all the great dads of all kinds – no matter your DNA, adoptive, parenting, or foster status – this one is for you. You should be celebrated this Father’s Day and every day. Whether you are an adoptive father, a prospective adoptive father, or a birth father who made an adoption plan – you are a hero. You deserve to be celebrated by those who love you most. We hope you enjoy the day with your family (and maybe even get another tie, or “World’s Best Dad” coffee mug, to add to your collection).

Adoptions With Love supports all fathers looking to adopt or make an adoption plan. Please reach out to our caring staff any time at 1-800-722-7731, text us confidentially at 1-617-777-0072, or email us at

info@awlonline.org.