A lot of children don't find forever homes because they're on that special-needs list, even if it's because of something as simple as her mother smoked cigarettes for a month, not knowing she was pregnant.

When something disappointing happened, my mother would remind me not to let that become my focus. There's still so much to be grateful for.

My mother is a great source of advice and wisdom and consolation for me.

My mother is a realist, and she's had biological and adoptive children, and she said it's no different: No matter what, they're putting a stranger into your arms. You don't know them yet.