Ever since I was a little kid I always imagined what my future family would look like. Similar to most young children, I had always said that I was going to grow up, get married, and have kids of my own. But I never thought twice of how exactly I would have kids. To be perfectly honest, I never really thought there were more options besides for natural conception. If you ask me today how I imagine my future family to look, I would tell you that I want to grow up, get married, and adopt kids.

As far as I know, there is nothing stopping me from having my own children naturally. However, the more I age and actually have to start thinking about it, the more I realize there are already so many children in the world that don't have families. Of course I would still love to have children naturally, but adopting will never be the last resort for me. These children who already exist and are in need of a home should be able to have a family, and if I'm able to give that to them then why wouldn't I? In the U.S. alone, there are about 400,000 children in the foster care system each year. Of that, approximately 52% live with foster families or group homes. 62% of the children in foster care are 10 years old or younger. Let me reiterate that, three out of five children in foster care are 10 or younger. Some of these kids have been in foster care their entire life and haven't even had the opportunity to experience what it's like to have a parent. Some of these kids lost their parents and have nowhere else to go. Just imagine what it must be like for some of these kids who are placed in an unfamiliar house with unfamiliar people. I want to be able to provide a home for a child in foster care. I want to be able to give them a real childhood and a real family.

I decided I wanted to adopt after seeing movies and shows that illustrated what it was like to be a kid in foster care. 'The Fosters' specifically had me intrigued on how the process works. For anyone who hasn't seen the show, you need to. It demonstrates how kids in the foster system don't always get a fair chance in life. While the two main characters that have experienced foster care first hand end up finding a nice foster family who later adopts both of them, many of the other children in the show who are in the system don't end up so lucky. While it may just be a show, it demonstrates the struggles kids in the foster care system have to go through, and how difficult it may be to get adopted. It also shows how important getting involved in the foster care system can be, whether it's being an adoptive parent, a foster parent, a group home sponsor, or just an advocate for these kids, any little thing can make a huge difference in these children's lives.

While the adoption process can be a little pricey and a lengthy process, the impact it can make is literally life changing. If you decide that you can see kids in your future, please think about adoption. If you are hesitant on the process, you can always try fostering. Adoption doesn't always have to be the last option. You could possibly be making the best decision of your life while positively changing someone else's.