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I’ve been touched by adoption in nearly every way possible — some beautiful, some not so beautiful. 

I was adopted at birth and raised in a home where being adopted was not something we talked about. My questions made people uncomfortable — and even angry. For most of my life, I did not know the truth about my identity and lacked answers to so many questions I longed to understand.  

It wasn’t until I was 16, during a counseling session, that I saw a letter my adoptive parents had received when I was 4. That letter revealed that my birth mother was French Canadian, but she also had Native American heritage. My biological father was Arabic, which explained why I looked so different from everyone around me. These were details about my family and story I had never heard before.  

By 16, I was pregnant, running away and eventually turned over to the state. Looking back, I think I was in search of something I couldn’t name at the time — a way to fill the empty void I had felt my whole life. I ended up in a juvenile detention center and then moved to a group home for pregnant girls. I had never felt more alone. 

I made the incredibly difficult decision to place my daughter in an open adoption. At the time, it felt like it was the only way to give her the life I dreamed of for her. But it also deepened a longing to understand my own story. 

I aged out of foster care, and life continued to spiral until I found myself in prison at 20 years old. 

While incarcerated, I had time to reflect and face the ache I’d always carried — I wanted to find my biological family. I started writing to every adoption-related organization I could find. One of those was the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption. 

They responded with kindness and compassion. They explained that the Foundation’s mission is focused on finding permanent homes for children lingering in foster care, raising awareness and promoting educational adoption resources for families. However, they still took the time to encourage me and recommended a book that might help with my search. 

I read that book cover to cover. One line stuck with me: “If you’re from a small enough town, sometimes running a classified ad in the local newspaper can lead to answers.” 

Years went by. I got out of prison. I started rebuilding my life. I eventually moved to Seattle, but I never forgot the sentence in that book. 

One day, with encouragement from a friend, I ran the ad. 

Two weeks later, my grandparents called. 

And two months after that, I met my mother for the first time. 

I was 24 years old. 

My mother and I shared 22 great years together before she passed. Getting to know her, and later connecting with my biological father, who I learned was an exchange student from Libya, helped heal something deep inside. I now have siblings I never knew existed, and they’ve brought connection and meaning into my life I never expected. 

The letter the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption sent me planted a seed of hope that changed the course of my life. 

Adoption isn’t simple. I’ve experienced it from almost every angle — as an adoptee, a birth mom and someone working with teens aging out of the system. I’ve seen how beautiful adoption can be when it’s built on honesty, love and a willingness to embrace a child’s full story. But I’ve also lived through what happens when it’s not. 

Adoption shouldn’t be about filling a void. It should be about showing up for a child, even when the questions get hard, and even when the answers are missing.  

Today, I work with teens to help them prepare for adulthood — teaching skills like budgeting, job readiness and planning for their futures. It’s the kind of support I wish I had when I was in their shoes. My goal is to show young people that their story doesn’t have to end the same way it started. 

And while my first daughter was raised by a loving, adoptive family, I later had another daughter who I raised myself. Today, I’m also a proud grandmother. My first daughter and I have built a strong and open relationship and her son, my grandson Sage, is now 5 and the light of my life. Her adoptive parents were always open and honest with her about her story, and that made all the difference. 

Now, I look around and see a family I never thought I’d have. At one point, I truly had no one. Today, I’m surrounded by people I love — and they love me back. 

All because someone took the time to write me a letter. 

Sometimes, that’s all it takes. 

Shannon Thompson is a mother, grandmother and advocate who aged out of foster care and now helps teens prepare for adulthood by creating tools that teach real-life skills like budgeting, career readiness and self-advocacy. She is the founder of a life skills curriculum series created for youth navigating tough transitions. 

Website: dreambiggerpublishing.com 
Instagram: @dreambiggerpublishing 
LinkedIn: Shannon Thompson 

Thank you, Shannon, for sharing your story and for your commitment to making a difference in the lives of children in foster care.  

If you believe you could provide a safe, loving and permanent home to a child in need, explore the Foundation’s adoption resources to get started.  

We welcome our caring supporters to share your story about how adoption has impacted your life and why the Foundation’s work is important to you. Together, we can achieve the vision that every child will have a permanent home and a loving family.