I am 21 years old which means that instead of ordering root beer, I can now order beer.

I am 21 years old which means that I have yet to graduate college.

I am 21 years old which means I have over 21 more years to live.

I am 21 years old which means that if I were to tell people that I am going to adopt a child in my future they would tell me that my life is changing too often to make that decision at 21, which is unfair to say, if you know me.

I've always been a very cautious person, I don't take unnessesary risks, I don't live life on the edge, and I overthink every little thing that I do. Ask any of my friends, when I am unsure of things everyone knows; I seek advice and poll it until I convince myself what the right choice is. When I know what I want, there is no convincing me otherwise.

I don't know where I will be 21 years from now, I don't know who I will marry, and I don't know what I will accomplish in the future but what I do know is that I want to adopt a child.

I was given an amazing childhood. My parents did everything that they could to provide me with a life that I could look back at and be happy with. Don't get me wrong, my life wasn't perfect, not even close, but when it came down to it I had parents that loved me.

I started spending time with children that had no one — no parents, no siblings, no family. They seem okay upon presentation, but I know if they knew what they were missing they wouldn't seem so okay anymore, they would question their worth and fear having any kind of meaningful relationship.

I want to make sure that there is one less child in the world that feels as if they are worthless, as if they don't matter to someone and as if they are alone. I want to make sure that if one single child was asked who cares about them, they wouldn't question pointing to me. I want to make sure that this one child knows they aren't in my life because it's my duty, but because I did everything I could to make sure that they were in my life and they would know that I would do it all over again.

No child belongs in the system. Some end up in the custody of the state at birth while others end up getting taken away from their families because of neglect or abuse; these kids came from terrible environments, but to be honest, where they are placed isn't always that much better.

I want to share the love I have with someone that appreciates it, someone that truly needs it. There is something very special about having the ability to change the lives of children that may otherwise live a life in which everything they want and need is not provided.

I want to share my love with someone that doesn't need to reciprocate the love in order for me to feel fulfilled and happy. I say this being one of the few cases where loving an individual is more satisfying then feeling loved

As a single individual, I would like to provide even half the tender love and care my parents provided me because everyone deserves it. I look at kids that don't have parents and see the potential they have, but also see that they are not encouraged to push themselves, and aren't taught how to thrive individually. There are so many children in the system that they focus on keeping every child alive, they don't have time to individually care for a child, or pay attention enough to really understand what the child may need.

Don't get me wrong, I want to have children of my own some day, but for my first child I want to adopt a child to show them that they are loved, they are cared for, that even after much struggle they can be the single most important part of someone's life, and that there are people out there that want to be their family; so to my future adopted child, you don't need to love me, but I hope from me you learn love.