Monday, October 5, 2009

Adoption-type Thoughts

Rosie will be 4 tomorrow. On the 18th, she will have been home for 6 months. In most ways, it seems like she has always been here, and although I can remember life before she was at home, it seems like such a very long time ago. When I stop to think about it, I am amazed at just how easily she fitted in as part of the family. Not that we don't have our rough days and hard issues to deal with, but the big picture is one of a little girl who very early on considered us family, and where it just felt natural to wake up and see our daughter here at home with us every day.

I love to see the ways that she is so like us, and she does, too. Lately, she has taken such pride in seeing the ways that we are similar. Something as small as wearing the same color as she is delights her, and she loves to point out the ways that we are the same. She also loves the fact that Mommy and Rosie both love avocados, but none of our guys do. She delights in sharing anything off my plate and regards that as a super special treat.

When we go somewhere, she always asks, "Home now?", and she smiles from ear to ear when I say that we are going home. She loves to go places and do new things, but does seem to take a special delight in knowing that we are going home.

Life as a Mom to 3 little ones is challenging. The strong wills and high energy levels from Rosie and Nathan can be particularly wearing, but I already find myself wondering when we will be able to start the adoption process again.

Someone once told me that adoption was like potato chips, you couldn't do just one. I laughed, and Gareth said, "You wanna bet". But, I think they were probably right. I've been thinking about why, and I've come to the conclusion that it is because God's heart is for adoption, and once you have seen that and then experienced the reality of it, you can't help but have your heart and life and priorities changed.

Because we had never actually attended an adoption conference hosted by our agency before, we went to one in OKC this week-end. I was offered the chance to briefly share our adoption story. Here is the last portion of my attempt to share why we did it, and perhaps why for so many adoptive families, you can't do just one:

We don’t adopt because it is easy-we do it because it is right.

We don’t adopt a child because we want to be loved-we do it because we love God.

We don’t adopt just because there is a need (although there is)-we adopt because we are convinced that this is what pure and undefiled religion looks like.

We don’t adopt out of pity or a need to earn favor with God-we do it in response to what God has done for us.

We do it because adoption provides the opportunity to share the gospel in the most intimate way possible. Adoption affords us the opportunity to show a waiting child and a watching world what true love looks like, which then gives you an open window to introduce them to the love of God.

We do it because we were adopted.

Adoption has given me the opportunity to:

Learn how to love someone I had never seen.

Learn to do whatever it took to bring my child home.

Learn that a family is not made up of people who look the same or share the same genes-but of those who are knit together by a loving God.

Adopting Rosie has allowed me to look at my adoption in a completely different way- to begin to understand the love of a God who would pursue me to the ends of the earth, who would sacrifice whatever it took to bring me home, who would love me even when I am unlovable, who would continually be the God of second chances and new beginnings, who would delight in my presence, and who would find satisfaction in hearing me call Him Abba, Daddy.

3 comments:

  1. Sarah, this post brought tears to my eyes and joy to my heart. A lot of people won't understand this, but others will and hopefully those special people will find out how to bring the miracle of adoption into their homes. :) Much, much love to you.
    Amber

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  2. Sarah - thank you for sharing your beautiful words and thoughts! It made me proud to know you and to have travelled this adoption journey with you! I also love seeing that smile and my son's face when he asks "Mom, home now?" and I can answer him "Yes!" with love, Karen Wistrom www.family-from-afar.blogspot.com

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