Welcome to DNA + LOVE: what families are made of. Get captivated by real stories of surprises revealed by DNA tests for genetics and ancestry, families finding long-lost family members, stories about adoptees, and many other fascinating and unique family situations. Sometimes these stories are full of love, other times heartache, many times both. Learn how to use DNA detective work to find your own long-lost relatives and write your own family tree. Pull up that rocking chair on the porch, we’ll get you a glass of sweet tea. Then sit down and stay a spell while we tell you stories told through authentic and vulnerable voices to connect you to all of the many ways we experience family through DNA and/or LOVE.
Writers
It all started when...
...I stopped for a moment on a hot July day and marveled at this family of mine and how we all came together. In 2010, my wife and I welcomed a son via adoption and I transitioned from a woman to a mother. Then in 2016, our daughter (who was conceived with the help of a sperm donor) blasted into our worlds. Our hearts expanded with love again in 2018, when through the unexpected help of DNA tests, we found my wife's biological family, including 10 (count 'em TEN!) brothers and sisters. My wife was adopted at birth and grew up an only child. Not anymore! We always knew in our hearts that LOVE is what makes a family. So, we were shocked by how quickly we instantly loved these family members of hers that were at that point only connected by shared DNA.
DNA tests for ethnicity, ancestry, and health are surging in popularity. Every day people share with me compelling, raw, amazing, and sometimes sad stories of discovering surprises and unearthing deeply-buried family secrets as a result of these DNA tests. Yet, when I looked around online, I couldn't find any websites or blogs that allowed for sharing of related content. Adoptees, donor-conceived individuals, and many others are seeking ways to connect with their biological heritage.
After all, "family" is a word that can evoke strong emotions. Our families shape us, sometimes for better and sometimes for worse. They are our history and our future. Our families give us our start. Our families inspire the way we move through the world. Our families are our compass, our map, our origin, and our destination. Our families have the power to bring us to our knees and the power to help us experience love beyond our wildest dreams. Our families give us our roots and our wings.
So, I decided to create DNA+LOVE.
After our own experience with connecting with long-lost family members and watching my own children come to terms with their identity and family origins, I recognized the need for there to be a true community where many voices could be heard. This site was created to be that community where we can tell our authentic stories of family coming together...sometimes with DNA, sometimes with LOVE, and sometimes with DNA+LOVE. Join us here. Stick around for a while. Read, comment, and share your own story. ~Allyson Juneau-Butler
Allyson Juneau-Butler, M.Ed, CPM is the editor and head writer for dnaandlove.com. After working in higher education, she made a career change to become a midwife and has helped welcome about 320 babies into the world. Through helping her adoptee-wife find biological family through DNA tests and helping others make sense of their DNA test results, Allyson discovered a passion for DNA detective work and ancestry/genealogy. In addition to being married to an adoptee, she is also the mother of adopted children and the daughter of an adoptee. Her Myers-Briggs type is ENFP and she believes the only ice cream flavor worth having is triple chocolate fudge.
