At the end of October 2015, the Chinese government announced major changes to their one child-policy. Now, all married couples living in China will be allowed to have two children, which is great news for children and families in China. You can read more about how this change will affect Holt's work here. In this blog, adoptee Lillian Schmaltz reflects on these changes and what they mean for the future of children in China.

With the abolishment of China’s one-child policy, I have found myself to have very mixed emotions about it.

This policy is what has defined who I am today and what has led me to the life I have now. Without it, I would not have the loving family I do now, I would not have the loyal friends I can laugh with every day, I would not be where I am now. I could not be more thankful for the fortunes it has given me.

However, I cannot move past my confusion. Everyone’s adoption story is different. It’s an odd coincidence to me that the abolishment of the policy has happened so close to my birthday. Nearly 21 years ago, my courageous birth mother placed me on the steps of a police station. Because abandoning your child is illegal, she hid and watched until I was found by an officer and brought safely inside. Soon after, I was one of the lucky girls to be picked from the orphanage and brought to a foster family by an adoption agency, Mother’s Love. I was placed in my adoptive parents’ loving arms by the time I was just 6 months old and by the time I was 2, my adopted sister, Leah, joined our family.