It is rather amazing the emotions the word adoption can stir in people. I have to say the most often the reaction is positive and warm. Good questions about the country of origin our child comes from or interest in the process.
On the other hand there are times the questions are strongly heated. Why international adoption vs. domestic? The tone challenging and the undertone is that we don't care about children here.
It has made me think about this, after a confrontation today.
It can be difficult to explain how the Lord lays things on your heart. Why has my heart been stirred to the issues of another country? Yes, I care deeply about children here in the U.S. I have taken in and raised 5 children who were not my own.
However even as a young adult I was drawn to children with large dark eyes and skin the color of molasses. Beautiful would be the words that escaped my lips. God plants seeds in every heart. The greater question is what are we doing with those little, life changing seeds? My heart aches that these children go hungry most nights. That they sleep not on a mattress but the floor. They have never experienced new clothes or watched a movie. Have never heard "I love you" followed by a warm embrace.
There is such a great need in this world for any child who is without a home or in foster care. I believe we can change the world! One child at a time. So my challenge is this: What are you doing to change the life of one child?
Monday, February 23, 2009
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Why do you want to adopt!
I hear this a lot, so I thought I would share our feelings on this subject.
Rob and I have already raised seven children, several are married now and we both feel that there is still much we can give as parents. After much prayer and talking it over with our grown children and close friends; we all agreed that this is a calling and passion for us. Actually we believe that our parenting skills are much more honed after raising our own and we have the added benefit of wisdom from going through the child rearing process a few times. Don’t we all wish that as parents we knew back then what we KNOW now! I do! All the great things we did and the mistakes, that as human parents we all have made, to be able to parent armed with this knowledge! Just think how the process of raising a child can be with the seasoning of insight. With age we see life values clearer, no longer trying to accomplish family rearing and the corporate ladder climb simultaneously. To not be swayed by popular culture, well meaning grandparents giving advice or by what the neighbors are doing.
In this season of our lives having more natural children is just not what we want to do. But to be blessed by a child that is older and has been waiting to be part of a forever family, now THAT is exciting! Giving him a home that is established and with family who see him in all his amazing potential and the blessing that he will bring to enrich our lives. We see this as a winning combination. Adoption is not about a child; it is a greater vision of lives intersecting, families being birthed and lives joining together. It is like a patchwork quilt made of many colorful squares of cloth that are placed side by side, each piece telling a different story. A blue square tells of days in the garden, the red square was from Grandmothers favorite dress, and the yellow flowered piece was once a little girl’s sun suit. One square alone does not make the quilt; it becomes a piece of art only when all the parts become whole. Than the maker of the quilt stitches each piece together, when she is done all the patterns, colors and stories come to life. That is adoption and this is why we chose to adopt. Life is about joining together, going through phases of change and growth. It is about becoming a colorful quilt that can warm others as well as our family.
Rob and I have already raised seven children, several are married now and we both feel that there is still much we can give as parents. After much prayer and talking it over with our grown children and close friends; we all agreed that this is a calling and passion for us. Actually we believe that our parenting skills are much more honed after raising our own and we have the added benefit of wisdom from going through the child rearing process a few times. Don’t we all wish that as parents we knew back then what we KNOW now! I do! All the great things we did and the mistakes, that as human parents we all have made, to be able to parent armed with this knowledge! Just think how the process of raising a child can be with the seasoning of insight. With age we see life values clearer, no longer trying to accomplish family rearing and the corporate ladder climb simultaneously. To not be swayed by popular culture, well meaning grandparents giving advice or by what the neighbors are doing.
In this season of our lives having more natural children is just not what we want to do. But to be blessed by a child that is older and has been waiting to be part of a forever family, now THAT is exciting! Giving him a home that is established and with family who see him in all his amazing potential and the blessing that he will bring to enrich our lives. We see this as a winning combination. Adoption is not about a child; it is a greater vision of lives intersecting, families being birthed and lives joining together. It is like a patchwork quilt made of many colorful squares of cloth that are placed side by side, each piece telling a different story. A blue square tells of days in the garden, the red square was from Grandmothers favorite dress, and the yellow flowered piece was once a little girl’s sun suit. One square alone does not make the quilt; it becomes a piece of art only when all the parts become whole. Than the maker of the quilt stitches each piece together, when she is done all the patterns, colors and stories come to life. That is adoption and this is why we chose to adopt. Life is about joining together, going through phases of change and growth. It is about becoming a colorful quilt that can warm others as well as our family.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Form 600-A
Yesterday the USCIS form was filled in and went out in the mail today! Another baby step closer to bringing our son home.
Have you ever felt doing taxes was a daunting task. Than you will understand the feelings of those who adopt. The paper work is mountainous and being precise is not even an option. One peice of critical paperwork took me 3 tries before it was right! What was worse was the paper had to come from another state!
These are the trials, but it does keep you busy as you wait. The waiting is hard. Probably the hardest part for me. I have begun to work on his room and am starting a quilt for his bed. Biding time really. I wonder what he is doing right now and when I know he will be going to bed.
Would I do it again? Absolutely!
Have you ever felt doing taxes was a daunting task. Than you will understand the feelings of those who adopt. The paper work is mountainous and being precise is not even an option. One peice of critical paperwork took me 3 tries before it was right! What was worse was the paper had to come from another state!
These are the trials, but it does keep you busy as you wait. The waiting is hard. Probably the hardest part for me. I have begun to work on his room and am starting a quilt for his bed. Biding time really. I wonder what he is doing right now and when I know he will be going to bed.
Would I do it again? Absolutely!
Friday, February 13, 2009
Waiting
This is my first attempt at blogging, except for facebook. We are in the waiting pattern, our home study is done just waiting for one more background paper to arrive. Adoption is like being pregnant only I am not craving food nor gaining weight. However all the emotions and excitement are there!
This is our journey into the wonderful, confusing world of Adoption.
This is our journey into the wonderful, confusing world of Adoption.
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