The last day of 2006, what a whirlwind of a year this has been for me! As the old year ends, I cannot help but marvel at all that I have learned. Throughout the year about, I have seen the amazing resilency and resourcefulness of those separated by adoption. The dogged determination and strong desire to reunite in many separate family members continues to amaze me with each new story that I uncover.

The opportunity to watch and hear stories of search and reunions has been an exciting one for me. As reunions increase and become more frequent, more research increases into the whole phenomenon of closed adoptions. Thankfully, as a society we are becoming increasingly aware that closed adoptions are fraught with the potential to cause a great deal of harm. Open adoptions are no panacea either.

Not everyone is convinced that closed adoptions cause a great deal of damage to many of its participants, but that is to be expected. The numbers of open adoption advocates are increasing. As more education and support increase to help people with many of the difficult challenges of open adoptions, open adoptions will continue to become more popular.

Adoption is no cissy's game as we have discussed before. Although open adoptions lessen some potential adoptee issues, birth parents still face onerous challenges watching others raise their children. The one word we keep mentioning in reference to open adoptions - and reunions is "bittersweet." It does describe both to perfection.

If you have the opportunity to attend any adoptions conferences as I have this year, I highly recommend that you do so. Not only are they great resources for expanding your adoption education, but conferences and retreat are wonderful places to forge long-lasting and supportive friendships.

Adoption represents the painful loss of my son to me. When I hear the word, I think first of loss. However, now that we are reunited, the loss and pain are softened. The sadness comes less often now and our relationship brings me great joy and peace.