LaredoBuzz.Com

Courtesy Marah Mendez,

(Laredo, Texas)-For the majority of us, November signals that time of year to come together and give thanks over a nice warm meal for Thanksgiving. Few people are aware that November is also National Adoption Awareness Month and even fewer are aware of the deeper meaning for one particular individual among us. On Monday, Judge Tijerina declared National Adoption Awareness Month in Webb County.

For those that may not know, Judge Tijerina is a father of two adopted boys from Guatemala; Christopher Alonso and Keith Alexander. Several years ago, when the Tijerina household consisted of the Judge, his wife Kimberly and two children, Bonnie Jean and Cayetano, the couple knew their family was not yet complete. In 2005, after much prayer and thought, the blessing that awaited them finally arrived as the family grew from 4 to 6 and was finally complete.

Tijerina views adoption from a different lens than others. For many, becoming adoptive parents means you can provide a great blessing to a child; however, Tijerina believes it’s quite the opposite. For Tijerina it is important to shed light on the gift of adoption, which he calls the most important decision his family has ever made.

“The gift isn’t what we have given, but what we have received in our children,” Tijerina says. The blessings that Christopher and Keith have brought to their family is something he can’t put into words. “Life just wouldn’t be the same without our boys, they have filled our hearts with joy and taught us many things about life,” Tijerina says.

Now that the boys have reached the age of eleven, Tijerina and his wife talk more to them about their adoptions. It is important for the Judge and his wife that their sons know how grateful they are to their birthmothers and these women’s choice for life. They portray their birth mothers in a positive light, thanking them for the sacrifices they had to make and for placing the interests of their sons above all. Without making this difficult decision, the Judge and his wife believe they wouldn’t have become the individuals that they are today.

“Being an adoptive father is an important part of who I am and who I have become, it has allowed me to view life in a different light,” Tijerina said. Because of adoption, Tijerina and his family have been able to experience love in the purest form. Tijerina always reminds his boys that, “Even though you were not born in mommy’s tummy you were born in mommy and daddy’s heart.”

By proclaiming the month of November as National Adoption Awareness Month in Webb County, Tijerina hopes to encourage families to consider adopting and experience the many blessings that come with it. Two other adoptive fathers that also sit on Commissioners Court include Commissioner John Galo and Commissioner Jaime Canales. “The truth is that the adoptive family is truly the one that is blessed. Christopher and Keith have forever changed our lives,” Tijerina says.