I’ve been thinking about milestones. There has never been a day in the last thirty years that I’ve wanted to be anywhere else or do anything other than what we do at The Adoption Exchange. But it’s time for me to look back over the past years and ahead to the next.

Families all over the country are celebrating bittersweet milestones this time of year. It’s the season for graduations and weddings. Parents, relatives and friends look with wonder at the faces of the graduates, brides and grooms. How quickly they’ve grown. Weren’t they tiny children just yesterday?

Once, not so long ago, we worried that they’d not be ready for today’s challenges. The tables have turned; and it is us who aren’t really ready to see these days arrive.

It happens so fast.

Thirty years ago The Adoption Exchange was made up of a dedicated group of child advocates, adoptive parents and adoption professionals. We knew we had to step up our efforts because children were growing up in foster care.

That was 6,946 adoptions ago. Today I can scarcely go anywhere without running into someone who has been touched by the work of this organization. In these short years it has grown into a pretty remarkable center for service and education before, during and after the adoption process.

Well, guess what. I grew and I got older right along with all of the children.

I used to think I’d know when it would be time for me to retire because I’d wake up one morning and realize I wanted to do something else. But that didn’t happen.

I thought I’d run out of ideas and energy. That didn’t happen, either.

But I’ve always had a need to plan ahead for The Adoption Exchange. And so the Board of Directors has worked with me to find and mentor my successor. And I’ll be retiring on August 15.

Kate Trujillo, Ph.D., will bring her talents to the position of Executive Director of The Adoption Exchange. With our capable staff, dedicated Board of Directors and incredible volunteers and supporters…and all of the adoptive parents…I know the work is in the best of hands.

I’ll be working a couple of days a month because I want to continue to be part of this great purpose, as I know you do. I’ll continue blogging for a while. I hope you’ll share your memories with me, as I’ll be doing with you.

Our work isn’t done yet.

For more information about what’s changing and what isn’t changing at The Adoption Exchange click here.