Our Boy

A Baby Brother Adds More Love  

I grew up in a family where my mother was one of 6 girls — and I’m one of 5 girls — so naturally, when our biological child was born a girl, it confirmed what I already knew — I would be a mom of girls.

When my husband and I decided to grow our family through adoption, my preference, of course, was for a girl. I thought it would be so much better for our daughter to have a sister, because I know how close my sisters and I were growing up. I thought when “our girls” got older they could go shopping together, confide in each other, and support each other with their own families. I also had already raised a 9-year-old girl, and was confident I would be able to do this…I knew how to raise girls!

Bev Petterson
Bev Petterson (center) with her son, daughter, and husband. Bev had grown up around girls and is thrilled to be a mom to a boy!

Wide Horizons For Children told us we would be matched more quickly if we were open to a child with special needs – and that there were many more boys in need of families in China than girls. While I knew we would never turn down a child because of gender, I was still certain our referral was going to be a little girl.

I had mixed emotions about adopting a boy, but as I thought about it I went back to our reasons for adopting: To grow our family, have another sibling for our daughter to grow up with and another child for us to give a loving, “forever” home to that absolutely deserves this in their life. When I got the call, I was really surprised when our counselor said, ‘We have your referral – a little boy just 2½.’ I was excited, but scared.

Bev Petterson, Adoptive parent

Like other potential adoptive parents, I asked myself many questions. Am I going to be as good a mom to a little boy as I am to my daughter? Will I be just as close to him as I am to her, and will he bond to me? Can I raise a little boy just as successfully? Will my daughter be just as close with a brother?

We adopted our son in 2014. He LOVES his big sister dearly, and it is mutual. I’m truly blessed to have a little boy in my life…my son. I now know I was always a mother of “kids,” not just girls. He is one of the best things that has happened to me. All the misconceptions I had about raising a boy are untrue.

This story was written by Bev Petterson, adoptive parent.

PLEASE NOTE: Our China program is now closed.

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