This is the day after. It is much like the day before. Or the day of.

It is a reminder that to many, adoption in and of itself seems like the end result. The finish line. The prize.

But what National Adoption Day is is the same as what comes before and after and on that day (which happens to be yesterday) that make up the life, the family, the individuals who become the us, the we of a family.

So, adoption is the beginning, the middle. It is not the end.

If things are great, you may be nodding, yes! If things are hard you may be shaking your head, no. There is a saying that goes something like this: "Don't get off the train five minutes before the miracle." I actually think this means: "This, too, shall pass." Depending upon how you look at things, both ultimately predict favorable outcomes...when taken in the context that day-to-day life is what matters more than a single day, or event, throughout the year. Not that we wouldn't honor it, but that we maintain perspective.

Adoption is about family. This time of year, with holidays approaching, many stress about the stress of dealing with family. Adoption is celebrated but the stress of having a family drives some people to wish they didn't have a family. It's ironic.