Adoption Community

I’ve lived in a lot of places in my life and I have to say the ‘adoption community’ is my favorite place to be!

One of the greatest blessings for us along the adoption journey is becoming a part of the ‘adoption community’. I stand in awe of so many of these amazing families I have had the privilege to have met.

While of course biological children are a blessing beyond words- there is something special about being among those who often times knowingly choose a child with a special need. Now please understand that I am not in any way saying that biological parents would not love their children with these conditions in the same way, I am simply saying that when I see a parent ‘choose’ a child with special needs, when I witness them being open to something most of us avoid- I see a little piece of Jesus before my eyes.

Being in the delivery room and hearing a doctor say words like “cleft palate’, HIV+, Cerebral palsy, blind, missing limbs, hearing impaired - is the kind of thing that every parent dreads. And yet while adoptive parents certainly do not want that for their child either- they are often open to adopting a child with those needs and love them just the way they are. They love them as they come to them with a history, at various ages and with various scars. They choose to love them even though they may be a different color or nationality. They know that because of their choice- the road may be a little more difficult to walk- yet they are willing to walk beside that child and hurt with them. I have heard many adoptive parents say things like ‘I am drawn to deaf children, children born with HIV, children with cerebral palsy’. That means they are ALLOWING these conditions- and loving the child through it BY CHOICE. Once again to me that speaks leaps and bounds to God. I don’t know about you, but I have found that I am a lot stronger when someone else who loves me is beside me cheering me on. Yet not only are they giving their child courage and strength- it is a blessing for me to be among those who ‘get it’, who have walked that road and know the road so clearly. Knowing there is already a warn path gives me courage as well.

I just want to say Thank you to those of you who I have met along the path of adoption. You bless me, inspire me, and make me more than I dared to become. Thank you for sharing your story and your heart. I am more than thankful for this connection we will forever share.