Almost 30 years ago, Kelly and Bob Shennett adopted a 9-month-old baby girl from China. Now 29, their daughter Taylor expressed her appreciation for them in an Instagram post that quickly went viral.
Appearing on TODAY With Jenna & Sheinelle on May 11, the family described their journey ... and Kelly and Bob finally had a chance to publicly share their gratitude with Taylor.
The Shennetts began the adoption process after they were told they wouldn’t be able to conceive naturally. But while adopting Taylor, Kelly found out that she was pregnant.
“We were doubly blessed,” Bob said.
Even though the couple was overjoyed, having one daughter from China and another who looked just like her biological mother created some tension.
Kelly and Bob doubled down on their support for Taylor and moved the family from Tennessee to China, where they lived for seven years. They have also supported Taylor in a 10-year search for her birth parents.
“I remember feeling that we will literally go to the ends of the earth for her,” Kelly said.
In that viral Instagram post, Taylor thanked her parents for always speaking openly about adoption, celebrating her Chinese heritage, helping her seek her birth family and moving to China so she could experience her culture.
Kim and Bob “made it clear that I was chosen, loved and wanted while still honoring that I came from somewhere else first,” she wrote in her slideshow. This sentiment really struck a chord with her parents.
“She was not an accident, she was not luck,” Bob said on TODAY. “She is our chosen child. God chose her specifically for us.”
Taylor has been connecting with other adoptees to help build community and share their culture.
“My goal is to make sure that every adoptee knows that they’re heard. They’re important,” Taylor said when chatting with Jenna Bush Hager and Sheinelle Jones.
Jenna said, “That slideshow went viral for many reasons, but pretty much because you could feel the love and the truth in every single page. I know you did it for your parents, but I think they ... want to share some reasons they’re grateful that you’re their daughter.”
“You were patient with us as we learned to better understand your identity as an Asian American, and you invited us along on that journey,” said Bob.
“As a transracial family, we’ve had some very awkward moments in some hard conversations, but we’ve laughed through them all,” said Kelly.
“You never gave up on us when we said the wrong thing or struggle to understand,” added Bob.
In conclusion Kelly said, “Taylor, thank you for giving us the incredible privilege to be your parents. We love you.”
This article was originally published on TODAY.com
