When Frank and Cheryl Lushine (upper right) were married over 40 years ago, they knew they wanted five children. Over the next 20+ years, they got what they wanted. They started their family in the 1970s, when adoptions from Korea, Vietnam, Micronesia, and the Native American culture were considerably less common than they are today. Now, their children are adopting children of their own, which Frank and Cheryl consider to be the ultimate affirmation of their own choices. The Lushines, now with seven grandchildren (see below), gather each year over the July 4th holiday at the family cabin to celebrate the gift of their diverse family.
Summer with the Lushines Photographed by Tom Wallace
The process by which a person assumes the role of parent for someone not related by blood involves myriad social, physical, and emotional issues, along with comprehensive legal rules and regulations. A quick Internet search using the word "adoption" will result in hundreds of millions of sites. In addition to inquiring at local organizations and churches, a place to start might also include the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services at www.childwelfare.gov/adoption, or general sites such as www.adoption.org, where you can search over a million adoption sites.
