Recently I have started a project for a diversity class for my major. I am finding the second assignment to be very interesting, to write about my family culture and heritage. It has really turned a few wheels in my head! I started at the basics, getting family tree information from those family members that I know have been researching. I found interesting facts like that my family in Japan owned a large tea company and my grandmother hid in a cave in Tokyo during the bombings. I also learned that my maternal grandmother's family is Pennsylvania Dutch, which is not really Dutch at all, but German. I encourage everyone to check out things like this for their own family. I was never interested until I was forced to research it for school, but now I feel a deeper desire to connect to my ancestors.
This made me start wondering about my children, and how I will talk to them about their heritage. Ben and I have not been able to have biological kids, but will be blessed to one day adopt kids, no matter if we have bio kids or not. We have talked about how we will tell them they are adopted and when, but now I have been curious about this piece of their lives. I grew up knowing I was a quarter Japanese and love it, and always thought that I would talk to my kids about their heritage from the time they were young, teaching them the culture and how to make the foods and feeling that connection.
I guess this is a piece of what you miss when you can't or don't have biological children, but I have decided to still pass this onto my kids. Whether by blood or by love, they are still a part of me. I would love to hear anyone else's thoughts on this, or other adoptive families experiences!
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