Erin Thomas grew up with a unique perspective on adoption. Her mother was the oldest of five adopted children, and as a child, Erin would look around at school wondering if any of her classmates were her biological cousins. In this episode of Eternal Family Adoptions with host Donna Pope, Erin shares her worries she had while growing up. Even as the daughter of an adoptee, she experienced the same longing for genetic mirroring that adoptees themselves describe.
Grief & Grace
When Erin's sister placed a baby for adoption at age 20, Erin gained another view of the adoption experience. She watched her sister find joy and purpose during the pregnancy, witnessed the grief after placement, and has spent years respecting boundaries as her nephew grew up without making direct contact.
Lost, Then Found
After Erin's mother passed away from cancer in her 50s, the need to know health history became urgent. A DNA test led to a cousin match, which eventually connected Erin to her mother's birth family four years later. At RootsTech 2020, Erin met her biological cousin and finally saw eyes that looked like her mother's and sister's for the first time.
This episode explores the complexity of multi-generational adoption, including how to navigate Family Search when you have both adoptive and biological lines, what it means to respect an adoptee's choice not to search, and how the longing for connection can skip generations. Erin's story shows that adoption doesn't just affect the triad; it ripples through entire family systems for decades.
This episode offers hope for families touched by adoption across generations, showing that healing and connection are possible when we respect each person's timing, honor both biological and sealed relationships, and allow space for different experiences to coexist. Discover faith-based adoption support and resources at eternalfamilyadoptions.org.Follow or Subscribe to Eternal Family Adoptions on your favorite platform:
Website: EternalFamilyAdoptions.org | YouTube: @EternalFamilyAdoptions | Twitter/X: @ef_Adoptions | Instagram: Eternal_Family_Adoptions | Facebook : Eternal Family Adoptions | LinkedIn: Etern
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