A few days ago, my mom said something like "I hope I live long enough to see you have children." This was the first time she has EVER said something like that to me--she usually tells me not to rush, just finish school and I'll have plenty of time for that later. I liked those comments much better and I'm hoping she goes back to those.

When my pastor's wife said they were thinking about adopting, we were all over the moon for them. A child is a child. I get why some don't want to adopt but it's hard to believe they would try to discourage others from giving a child a caring home.

I'm so thankful that my mother has never put pressure on me to want to have kids. She has openly said she would love grandchildren (and she can't see a baby in public without trying to play with it), but has made it clear that it matters more that I'm happy than that I have children. I don't have siblings, so I'd be her only shot at grandkids, and I really do want to have a family someday (not yet, I'm still in undergrad), but I'm just very lucky I've never felt obligated or pressured to want kids because she wants me to have them. And, I know that if I chose to adopt, she would be exactly as thrilled as if I had kids myself.

We have a family friend who didn't get married for the first time until a little later than typical, almost 40, and she and her husband decided to adopt, for one reason or another. The ended up adopting 3 sisters who were between 5 and 9 from a VERY messed up family life/foster situation, and it changed all of their lives for the better. Anyone who could look down upon them for doing that instead of having a kid of their own, if it was even possible for them, is a selfish, shallow fool. I'm extremely supportive of adoption, despite it's drawbacks, and still having trouble wrapping my brain around people who can't support other people doing it, even if they can't/won't do it themselves

This is one of my don't-get-me-starteds. As many of you know, five of ours are transracially adopted. From the moment they came in the door, they were (are) OURS and we didn't divide them into the adopteds versus the non-adopteds.

People of all races had something to say, most good, but some not. These were people we didn't know, like strangers in malls. I will never figure out why they thought they had the right to comment.

I so love my now-adult babies.

I usually just go into my "the world is overpopulated speech" and that shuts people up real quick:D.

I have 3 brothers and only one has kids. The rest of us are happily childless.

Or as some of my Facebook friends kept saying: "IF YOU'RE NOT VOTING THIRD PARTY, YOU'RE NOT EDUCATING AND THROWING AWAY OUR COUNTRY." Okay, friends.

Also, "Internet Explorer 9 is beautifully fast!" Microsoft, leave me alone.

Hint to those who don't plan to have children: start using the phrase "Child-Free". You're not childless, you're childfree. YOU know it's a state of mind, educate those who think you need to get up for 2am feedings, too!

Absofragginlutely.

In the childfree community, "childless" indicates that you want to have children at some point, but something is standing in your way - you don't have a husband/wife/committed partner yet, or you want to get your finances in order before having children, or you're attempting IVF or IUI and haven't succeeded yet, or you want to adopt a child but there's a holdup in the process, etc. "Childfree" means "I don't want children, not now, not ever."

As for me, I am quite content with my husband and my cat.

Not sure if anybody commented on this, but there are people who actually want to go through the birth experience? I can't imagine being miserable for months and not having control of my own body and then hours of excruciating pain. Then again I'm a man and will never have to go through it myself.

But... but... but then you're missing out on the birth experience! It doesn't matter if you're a man! Go have a sex change and have a baby!

:p

. . . .that President Obama is a Muslim, Socialist, Communist, Kenyan, _______ or just fill in the blank. I can't believe the hysteria that still consumes many folks. The election is over--so get the hell OVER IT!

My sister sent me a "prayer" she printed from someone who had sent it to her on Facebook. She has since 'de-friended" this person. It went on and on about how God let the nation down during the election, and gave us a "tribulation" that we must be strong enough to oppose. Really? Wow! There were pages of people who LIKED this prayer and offered their own takes on the election. One lady said she had been "crying and praying" since the election.

So have I--for the fractured country we have become and for the President and all our leaders to be able to achieve goodness and peace in spite of all the ill wishes from hysterical nincompoops. And yes--I DO KNOW it's their right to launch opposition. Just turn your anguist and prayer against our enemies for toward our leaders.

"I'm so sorry, you really did deserve it and I'm sorry people couldn't see that"

Grumble grumble go away everyone, your pity won't change anything.

I hear you on this one!!! I still have relatives who ask me when we're having kids when they know it's just not possible for me, and after I explain it again, tell me, "well you can always adopt!"

How is someone supposed to respond to that statement? No, I can't adopt because nobody in their right mind would give a kid to someone so sick. Not to mention that I'm TOO SICK to take care of a baby/child.

People don't realize how much this kind of conversation hurts. Sigh.

^^^ Along those lines, are you aware that the *insert animal product I'm eating* isn't certified organic, is full of preservatives, etc.?

Yes, and I still think it is delicious.