Adoption weaves together hearts and stories in the most beautiful ways. Parents and children find each other, forming families built on love and commitment. These connections are often deep and life-changing.
In this article, we share a collection of the best adoption quotes. These words capture the essence of adoption, touching on themes of hope, belonging, and unconditional love. Let these quotes inspire you and celebrate the incredible journey of creating a family through adoption.
Uplifting Adoption Quotes
“Family is not defined by our genes, it is built and maintained through love.” – Anonymous
“Not flesh of my flesh, nor bone of my bone, but still miraculously my own. Never forget for a single minute, you didn’t grow under my heart but in it.” – Fleur Conkling Heyliger
“Being a parent wasn’t just about bearing a child. It was about bearing witness to its life.” – Jodi Picoult
“Adoption is not the call to have the perfect child. It is the call to give love, mercy, and patience.” – Hope for Orphans
“We should not be asking who this child belongs to, but who belongs to this child.” – James L. Gritter
“Every child deserves a home and love. Period.” – Dave Thomas
“A child born to another woman calls me Mom. The depth of the tragedy and the magnitude of the privilege are not lost on me.” – Jody Landers
“Adopting one child won’t change the world, but for that child, the world will change.” – Anonymous
“I have four children. Two are adopted. I forget which two.” – Bob Constantine
“Adoption was a bumpy ride – very bumpy. But God, was it worth the fight.” – Mariska Hargitay
“There are no unwanted children, just unfound families.” – The National Adoption Center
“Every child has a story. Every story has a hopeful turn.” – Unknown
“Adoption is a journey of faith, from beginning to end.” – Johnny Carr
“Little souls find their way to you, whether they’re from your womb or someone else’s.” – Sheryl Crow
“Biology is the least of what makes someone a mother.” – Oprah Winfrey
“It’s important to realize that we adopt not because we are rescuers. No. We adopt because we are rescued.” – David Platt
“Parenthood requires love, not DNA.” – Anonymous
“Families don’t have to match. You don’t have to look like someone else to love them.” – Leigh Anne Tuohy
“Adoption means you grew in her heart instead of her tummy.” – Anonymous
“Sometimes the smallest step in the right direction ends up being the biggest step of your life.” – Naeem Callaway
“The bond that links your true family is not one of blood, but of respect and joy in each other’s life.” – Richard Bach
“Adoption is the most intentional process on Earth.” – Beverly Hills
“It’s not about finding someone to live with; it’s about finding someone you can’t live without.” – Rafael Ortiz
“Adoption is when a child grew in its mommy’s heart instead of her tummy.” – Anonymous
“The circumstances surrounding your birth are not as important as the opportunity to live.” – Lailah Gifty Akita
“Adoptive parents are God’s special angels on earth.” – Anonymous
Heartwarming Quotes on Adoptive Love
“Adoption is not about finding children for families, it’s about finding families for children.” – Joyce Maguire Pavao
“Families don’t have to match. You don’t have to look like someone else to love them.” – Leigh Anne Tuohy
“Not flesh of my flesh, nor bone of my bone, but still miraculously my own. Never forget for a single minute, you didn’t grow under my heart but in it.” – Fleur Conkling Heyliger
“Adoption is the most intentional process on Earth.” – Jody Landers
“The bond that links your true family is not one of blood, but of respect and joy in each other’s life.” – Richard Bach
“An invisible red thread connects those who are destined to meet, regardless of time, place, or circumstance. The thread may stretch or tangle, but it will never break.” – Chinese Proverb
“Sometimes the strongest families are those formed by choice, not by blood.” – Author Unknown
“Adoption carries the added dynamic of being chosen and desired, in a way that biological offspring cannot experience fully.” – Elle Valentine
“You don’t choose your family. They are a gift from God to you, as you are to them.” – Desmond Tutu
“Every child deserves a home and love. Period.” – Dave Thomas, founder of Wendy’s
“The love of a family is life’s greatest blessing.” – Eva Burrows
“Adopting one child won’t change the world: but for that child, the world will change.” – Author Unknown
“Biology is the least of what makes someone a mother.” – Oprah Winfrey
“Adoptive parents are heroes who rise to the occasion and offer love and protection to a little soul in need.” – Author Unknown
“Being a parent wasn’t just about bearing a child. It was about bearing witness to its life.” – Jodi Picoult
“The greatest gift you can give your children is not your own riches, but revealing to them their own.” – Max Lucado
“We should not be asking who this child belongs to, but who belongs to this child.” – Jim Gritter
“Adoption was a bumpy ride – very bumpy. But God, was it worth the fight.” – Mariska Hargitay
“There are no unwanted children, just unfound families.” – The National Adoption Center
“Love knows no boundaries and sees no differences.” – Author Unknown
“Being a family means you are a part of something very wonderful. It means you will love and be loved for the rest of your life.” – Lisa Weed
“Adoption is a journey of faith, from beginning to end.” – Johnny Carr
“Love is not a pie, where its limited and must be divided. Love is a river, forever flowing.” – Maya Angelou
“Families don’t have to be perfect; they just have to be united.” – Author Unknown
“The moment a child is born, the mother is also born. She never existed before. The woman existed, but the mother, never.” – Rajneesh
“The best thing about being a parent is seeing your child smile because they are loved.” – Author Unknown
Adoption Quotes for Birth Parents
“The bravest thing I ever did was board that train and say goodbye to my baby.” – J.K. Rowling
“Parenting begins the moment you make any conscious effort to care for your own or another’s child.” – Unknown
“Being a birth parent means loving your child enough to know that you’re not the best parent for them.” – Heather McKinney
“Making the decision to have a child – it’s momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body.” – Elizabeth Stone
“Sometimes love means letting go when you want to hold on tighter.” – Melissa Marr
“Adopting one child won’t change the world: but for that child, the world will change.” – Unknown
“Adoption is when a child grew in its mommy’s heart instead of her tummy.” – Unknown
“Every child deserves a home and love. Period.” – Dave Thomas
“Not flesh of my flesh, nor bone of my bone, but still miraculously my own. Never forget for a single minute, you didn’t grow under my heart, but in it.” – Fleur Conkling Heyliger
“To be a birth parent is to put your child’s needs above your fear.” – Jessica Williams
“Life is a gift, and it offers us the privilege, opportunity, and responsibility to give something back by becoming more.” – Anthony Robbins
“Sometimes it takes more love to let go than to hold on, and that is the greatest act of love a birth parent can give.” – Unknown
“There is no foot too small that it cannot leave an imprint on this world.” – Unknown
“We must be willing to let go of the life we have planned so as to have the life that is waiting for us.” – Joseph Campbell
“Love is when the other person’s happiness is more important than your own.” – H. Jackson Brown, Jr.
“To choose adoption for your child is to choose love beyond measure.” – Sarah McGrail
“An invisible red thread connects those who are destined to meet, regardless of time, place, or circumstance. The thread may stretch or tangle, but will never break.” – Chinese Proverb
“Adoption is the loving choice to a difficult decision.” – Unknown
“The bond that links your true family is not one of blood, but of respect and joy in each other’s life.” – Richard Bach
“Sometimes the very moment you decide to let go is the very moment your child finds where they belong.” – Unknown
“In giving birth to our babies, we may find that we give birth to new possibilities within ourselves.” – Myla and Jon Kabat-Zinn
“Adoption was a bumpy ride – very bumpy. But, God, was it worth the fight.” – Mariska Hargitay
“To birth a child is to forever wear your heart on your sleeve.” – Elizabeth Stone
“What makes you a parent is not what you give to your child, but what you give up for them.” – Unknown
“Every child comes with the message that God is not yet discouraged of man.” – Rabindranath Tagore
“Adoption is not about finding children for families, it’s about finding families for children.” – Joyce Maguire Pavao
“Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.” – Harriet Tubman
Inspirational Quotes for Adopted Children
“Not flesh of my flesh, nor bone of my bone, but still miraculously my own.” – Unknown
“You may not have my eyes or my smile, but from that very first moment, you had my heart.” – Unknown
“Adoption is when a child grew in its mommy’s heart instead of her tummy.” – Unknown
“Family is not defined by our genes, it is built and maintained through love.” – Amalia G.
“It’s not where you come from; it’s where you belong.” – The Script, “Hall of Fame”
“Sometimes the things we cannot change end up changing us instead.” – Unknown
“Adopted child: you grew in my heart, not under it.” – Unknown
“Every child begins the world anew.” – Ancient Proverb
“Adoption is a beautiful tapestry of love, woven together by the hands of fate.” – Amalia G.
“The bond that links your true family is not one of blood, but of respect and joy in each other’s life.” – Richard Bach
“You are who you choose to be.” – Hogarth Hughes, “The Iron Giant”
“The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, and sometimes it rolls into a brand new orchard.” – Amalia G.
“Love recognizes no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of hope.” – Maya Angelou
“Biology is the least of what makes someone a mother.” – Oprah Winfrey
“When you look into your mother’s eyes, you know that is the purest love you can find on this earth.” – Mitch Albom
“The very fact that you’re adopted means that you have been chosen and are special.” – Unknown
“A child born to another woman calls me Mom. The depth of the tragedy and the magnitude of the privilege are not lost on me.” – Jody Landers
“Adoption is not about finding children for families, it’s about finding families for children.” – Joyce Maguire Pavao
“Families don’t have to match. You don’t have to look like someone else to love them.” – Leigh Anne Tuohy
“We didn’t give you the gift of life, life gave us the gift of you.” – Unknown
“The best things in life are the people you love, the places you’ve seen, and the memories you’ve made along the way.” – Unknown
“You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” – A.A. Milne, “Winnie-the-Pooh”
“Though we may not have the same roots, we share the same sky.” – Amalia G.
“The love of a family is life’s greatest blessing.” – Unknown
“Where there is love, there is life.” – Mahatma Gandhi
“Your birth is my happiness, your life is my purpose, your legacy is my pride.” – Amalia G.
Famous Adoption Quotes in Literature
“Adoption is love woven together from different threads.” – Anonymous
“Not flesh of my flesh nor bone of my bone, but still miraculously my own. Never forget for a single minute, you didn’t grow under my heart but in it.” – Fleur Conkling Heyliger
“Adoption is the highest form of love; it knows no boundaries.” – J.K. Rowling
“Family isn’t defined only by last names or by blood; it’s defined by commitment and by love.” – Dave Willis
“Babies are always more trouble than you thought – and more wonderful.” – Charles Osgood
“Every child deserves a home and love. Period.” – Dave Thomas
“Sometimes the things we can’t change end up changing us the most.” – Anonymous
“Adoption carries the added dimension of connection not only to your own tribe but beyond, widening the scope of what constitutes love.” – Isabella Rossellini
“Being a parent wasn’t just about bearing a child. It was about bearing witness to its life.” – Jodi Picoult
“A child born to another woman calls me mom. The depth of that tragedy and the magnitude of that privilege are not lost on me.” – Jody Landers
“Love is not something we give or get; it is something that we nurture and grow.” – Brene Brown
“I have four children. Two are adopted. I forget which two.” – Bob Constantine
“You don’t choose your family. They are God’s gift to you, as you are to them.” – Desmond Tutu
“To adopt a child is to be given a very important mission: to provide warmth and love to one of God’s creations.” – Anonymous
“The bond that links your true family is not one of blood, but of respect and joy in each other’s life.” – Richard Bach
“The power of love is extraordinary; it can create families where there were none before.” – Sarah Addison Allen
“Adoption is a journey of faith, from beginning to end.” – Johnny Carr
“Adoptive parents are not second choice; they are heroes who have chosen to love deeply.” – Unknown
“When you look at your life, the greatest happinesses are family happinesses.” – Joyce Brothers
“The child must know that they are a miracle, that since the beginning of the world there hasn’t been, and until the end of the world there will not be, another child like them.” – Pablo Casals
“Adoption is not about finding children for families, it’s about finding families for children.” – Joyce Maguire Pavao
“Family is not defined by our genes, it is built and maintained through love.” – Amalia G.
“Somehow destiny comes into play. These children end up with you and you end up with them. It’s something quite magical.” – Nicole Kidman
“Being adopted felt like reading a book with the first few chapters missing.” – Janelle Hanchett
“What makes you a man is not the ability to make a child, it’s the courage to raise one.” – Barack Obama
“Adoption is the loving choice to give life and family.” – Sherri Shepherd
“We should not be asking who this child belongs to, but who belongs to this child.” – Jim Gritter
Reflective Quotes on the Adoption Journey
“Family is not defined by our genes, it is built and maintained through love.” – Amalia G.
“Adoption is the journey of extending the heart’s capacity to love without boundaries.” – Unknown
“Being a parent is not about genetics. It’s about nurturing a child’s heart and soul.” – Anonymous
“Not flesh of my flesh, nor bone of my bone, but still miraculously my own. Never forget for a single minute, you didn’t grow under my heart but in it.” – Fleur Conkling Heyliger
“Adoption is when a child grew in its mommy’s heart instead of her tummy.” – Anonymous
“The bond that links your true family is not one of blood, but of respect and joy in each other’s life.” – Richard Bach
“There is no friendship, no love, like that of a parent for the child they have chosen.” – Henry Ward Beecher
“Adoption is a beautiful tapestry of intertwined lives, each thread bringing its own vibrant color.” – Eliza P.
“Adopting one child won’t change the world, but for that child, the world will change.” – Unknown
“The best things in life are the people we love, the places we’ve been, and the memories we’ve made along the way.” – Anonymous
“Families don’t have to match. You don’t have to look like someone else to love them.” – Leigh Anne Tuohy
“Love makes a family, and adoption is a testament to the boundless, selfless beauty of that love.” – Sarah M.
“Sometimes the questions are complicated and the answers are simple.” – Dr. Seuss
“The love of a family is life’s greatest blessing.” – Unknown
“Through adoption, the love of a child takes on a life of its own, blending destinies into one shared path.” – Brandon J.
“Every child deserves a home and love; adoption brings them both.” – Anonymous
“Adoption carries the legacy of love forward, bridging worlds and hearts effortlessly.” – Marina N.
“Somehow destiny comes into play. These children end up with you and you end up with them. It’s something quite magical.” – Nicole Kidman
“The joy of embracing a child as your own, creating memories and stories together, is the core of life’s purpose.” – Unknown
“My birth mother brought me into this world but it was my adoptive parents who gave me life.” – Unknown
“Adoption is not about finding children for families, it’s about finding families for children.” – Joyce Maguire Pavao
“Adoption is the ultimate act of love, creating families and forging unbreakable bonds.” – Emily K.
“The moment a child is born, the mother is also born. She never existed before. The woman existed, but the mother, never.” – Rajneesh
“Adoption is when love transcends biology, and destiny unites hearts.” – Unknown
“A child born to another woman calls me mommy. The depth of the tragedy and the magnitude of the privilege are not lost on me.” – Jody Landers
“Adoption unveils the magic of unexpected families and the love that holds them together.” – Unknown
“The greatest legacy one can pass on to one’s children and grandchildren is not money or other material things accumulated in one’s life, but rather a legacy of character and faith.” – Billy Graham
The Conclusion
Adoption quotes have a special way of capturing the heart and soul of what it means to create a family through love and choice. These quotes remind us that families come in many forms, and that love is the foundation of all of them. They offer comfort, inspiration, and a sense of belonging to anyone touched by adoption.
Whether you’re an adoptive parent, an adoptee, or someone who supports adoption, these quotes can bring warmth and understanding to your life. Keep them close to remind yourself of the beautiful bond that adoption creates, and share them to spread kindness and hope to others.