Sen. Dick Sears had already been sworn in seven times prior to Wednesday, but his eighth time was special — he shared it with a family member who, just months ago, he did not know existed.

Vermont state senator, Dick Sears, just told about finding his sister. He discussed their reunion, and how she watched him being sworn into office.

An interesting element of Senator Sears' story is that he has dedicated his life to working with delinquent children. Until reunion, he never knew that his birth mother was incarcerated until right before he was born. Adoption is full of quirky kinds of kismet sorts of happenings.

When I told my son's birth dad that our son had worked for a couple of years with an "Outward Bound" program for juvenile delinquents, he found that very interesting. Birth Dad served on the board of a similar program at the time. Both are very comfortable outdoors, as I am as well.

Has anyone else noticed that politicians are suddenly talking about their reunions and other adoption issues lately? Recently it was announced that the Governor of Iowa is considering a search for his birth mother. Not too many years back, you would never have seen a public official discussing his birth mother.

Is having a connection to adoption now “in” when traveling in political circles? Is adoption becoming a status type event rather than a deep dark secret? Interesting to imagine that like celebrities adopting appears to some to be a fad-type event, political figures now are getting press as their adoption secrets emerge.

I wonder what has inspired these political adoptees to come and share their stories? Positive person that I am, I really do not believe that they are just looking for more press. Maybe I am being naïve? Who really knows? I guess their motivations do not really matter, I am just pleased that they are talking about adoption, reunions and yes, their birth mothers!