When people hear the word adoption, there are a few things I have found people typically think of. They involve babies from 3rd world or foreign countries, foster care, orphans, families who can't have kids, etc. So when I tell people I'm adopted I get responses like "That's so cool, from where?" or "What happened to your parents?" or "Were you in foster care?" and the answer is that I've lived in the same state my whole life, with my biological mom since the day I was born and I've never once set foot in a foster home or group home.

To make a long story very short, my mom and birth dad were divorced when I was a baby and I haven't seen him in over 10 years. Again, story for a different day. But when my mom got remarried the summer after I turned 5, my life changed forever. For the first few years after my mom got married, my new step-dad was Scott and he was okay with that, but at some point that changed and he was Dad. I don't remember when I decided that I wanted him to adopt me but I remember the day that I found out my biological dad signed over his parental rights like it was yesterday. I was 10 and making a decision to change my family, change my last name, and officially made the man who emotionally was my dad, legally my dad forever.

September 29, 2008 is one of the days I remember most from my childhood and one of the most important days of my life. We went to the court house that day and my dad legally adopted me and was granted legal parental rights to me. I remember picking out my blue dress, a pink sweater, a black sparkly headband and pink heart earrings. My attorney had a black eye and I can't remember why; my whole family was there, grandparents on both sides, my aunt and uncle. I remember walking through security at the courthouse, going into a side room that was more like a conference room and everyone sitting around a big table. We went to Hardee's for breakfast afterwards and out to dinner that night. At dinner that night, I found out my mom was pregnant with my sister. When I think of when we really became a family, I think of that day.

Not many people understand that this is a form of adoption or understand why I have two middle names and got a new birth certificate when I was 10 years old, but my adoption and those two middle names and my last name, are such a huge part of who I am. And when my dad and I decided to get matching tattoos of that date last summer, it gave me a daily reminder of who I am and where I've come from. IX-XXIX-MMVIII.

So thank you Dad, you've made me who I am and taught me to stand up for myself. You've given me thick skin and helped me develop a sense of humor(even though sometimes your jokes are too much). You've taught me more about wine than most 19 year old's know and sparked my love for Bob's Burgers. I wouldn't love expensive food as much as I do without you, even though you make fun of me for loving chain restaurants, and you've served me "restaurant quality meals" for as long as I can remember. Thank you for loving me unconditionally and being willing to marry the single mom of a 5 year old and accepting me, and making me your own. I love you.