a beautiful adoption story

Some of you know how blessed my family is through adoption. I have three amazing nieces from China and Guatemala. We couldn’t imagine our lives without them.

One of my oldest and closest friends Gretchen wrote this beautiful post today for Chicago Now about the adoption of her first child. She and her husband have adopted domestically three times and they are open adoptions which means the birthmother/father can have contact with the children and know they are loved and taken care of. I think these birth moms could not have been luckier to have chosen Gretchen and Brett- you can read their story here.

As today is Veterans Day, I want to also remember Gretchen’s amazing and loving brother Brian Matthew Kennedy, who was killed in action on March 21, 2003, during the first ground troop insertion mission in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Brian was a Corporal in the United States Marine Corps.  He will never be forgotten. I will always be glad I knew him.