More about adoption

Beth Donovan has posted about adoption again, and every single one of you had better go read it. Here's a piece of it:

I was the first granddaughter on my mom's side. My Grandmother gave me her sterling silver tea service when I got married because I was the first to marry and the oldest granddaughter. Because my husband and I lived in a small apartment, Grandmother let me store it at her huge old house in St. Louis.

Grandmother died.

Aunt Jean stole the Tea Service and let my mom know that it belonged to her daughter, as she was a 'real' grandchild.

Fortunately, her husband, Uncle Dick, disagreed and took it from Aunt Jean and returned it to me.

I linked to her post yesterday on the subject, and in the comments of that post, Kate of Electric Venom replied:

I'm adopted, too, Beth. My parents had three non-adopted children before me. Throughout my childhood, my extended families on both parents' side would always referred to me as "the adopted girl, Kate." It was bad enough that I looked very different from my parents and siblings (they're all quite tall, blonde and with blue eyes while I'm short, brown and brown).

Always being reminded that I wasn't one of the "natural-born" kids ensured that I felt excluded, like I didn't belong anywhere.

It probably doesn't surprise anyone (besides them) that, having never felt like part of their family, I don't talk to a single one of them anymore.

This totally, totally appalls me. I have no words to describe my contempt for people like this.