Growing Up As Heather - Part 1

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Hi, this is Heather! 

I thought it would be a good idea to take the time to talk about how I grew up so that you get an idea of who I am. The only way you will get to know me is if I share with you some memories I have and how I grew up. My story starts out differently from others and I honestly believe that is what makes me special. The reason why I would like to share my story with you is that I want people to know that I lived a good life. And I want to share the lessons I learned along the way with the people around me. So here is my story I hope you enjoy and know me better as a person as well as a writer with you all!




The story begins in Ukraine

I am originally from Ukraine and the way I came over to the United States is through adoption and I am thankful for that because I get to have freedom in my life. I came over to the United States when I was only 4 years old with my brother.

When my birth mother found out that she was pregnant with me I bet she was scared and had to make the toughest choice she would have to make ever in her life. She knew that she was unable to take care of me from where she was at. As her heart was breaking to let me go she knew in her heart that giving me up was the best choice she could have made even though it was a painful thing for her to do. After I was born I was put in an orphanage where I and many other children waited to be united with their forever families. All of us want to be loved by someone every single day. I waited for my forever family and then it finally happened when the couple came to see me in the orphanage every day.

The couples that came to Ukraine were Kirby and Debbie Kendall. After they got married they knew that they always wanted children just waited for the right time so they saved up money. But the concept of adoption was always there in their mind as they wanted to change a child’s life. So they started the process looking around, getting information, and choosing the right place to adopt from and Ukraine was their final answer. 

They packed all their bags and headed towards Ukraine in 2000 to begin their journey of adoption. They went through photos of children and then went to orphanages to see and that is when they saw and met me for the first time. I do not remember anything that happened at the orphanage because I was too young at that time. They knew they wanted a little boy and a little girl. They would come back to the orphanage every single day to visit me and play with me.  The hardest thing about being an orphan is that you always have to wait for someone to choose you and waiting for a forever family can be a very long process and heartbreaking sometimes if someone does not choose you and they choose someone else. 

Right from inside my heart I wanted someone to adopt me. Whenever I hear stories about adoption it makes me feel better because I know that I am not the only person who was going to get adopted. It is unique how adoption stories came together because children’s lives are changed forever. I know that my life changed forever!

The dream came true! 

On November 15, 2000, my dream finally came true. Kirby and Debbie chose me to be with them what I did not know whether they were going to bring me home along with a brother. Kirby and Debbie found a boy later on and then started the adoption process in Ukraine. My brother and I are not blood-related. We came to our forever home in December of 2000. I was 4 and Cory was 2 at the time we did not know how to speak English at the time so we were taught how to until we caught on it took me longer than Cory, but I eventually got there. Debbie and Kirby made sure that we were taken really good care of, got the education that we needed growing up, allowed us to make friends, and always reminded us that we were loved by them no matter what! We were reminded every morning, afternoon, evening, and bedtime that they loved us which was a wonderful thing.


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Author Bio:
Name: Heather Kendall

Born in Ukraine and brought up by her American parents, Heather is a writer and blogger who loves to share her personal experiences with everyone in the world.


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