Children

Today on FB I watched a beautiful slide show of a couple who recently adopted a darling toddler girl from Ethiopia. I was bawling like a little baby watching this slide show thinking how amazing the Lord planned this couple and their son to welcome a baby girl this way.

Since becoming an adult I have seen so many more families choose adoption and it does my heart good!

Here's why.

Children are children are children are children. They are created beings with souls and futures, with pain and hearts. Just like you and me. They thrive on love, touch, security, discipline and security. Just like you and me.

Children are not any less valuable because they were born to a teenager, drug addict, alcoholic, prostitute, homeless person or you or me. We all have value.

Sure we try to be politically correct and say some life is not worth having, but in the middle of my core I KNOW that is not the TRUTH. I have felt not valued by my mother and she said some pretty hurtful, specific things to me explaining this, but I HAVE value and so do all these other children. So do you.

My husband and I were married just a few months when I was in a lot of pain, went to the ER and were told we were expecting. I will never forget the look on my sweet husbands face! He was in shock and had the sweetest smile on his face. A few minutes later I was being rushed into surgery because the pregnancy was ectopic and I was bleeding internally. I woke, no longer pregnant.

A couple years passed and Thomas David was born.

18 months later I was pregnant again and so excited to be expecting at the same time as my sister and my sister in law. I had an ultrasound at 8 weeks and saw the little beating heart and put the picture up on the fridge.

At 12 weeks I went in to an appointment expecting to hear the heartbeat and nothing...went in for an ultrasound and nothing...no heartbeat.

I was crushed.

Devastated.

Heartbroken.

I remember going home that night a little in denial. Praying for a miracle. Praying they just missed the heartbeat. I sang my baby boy to sleep in my arms and thanked God for him.

A week later I went in for surgery and woke up no longer pregnant.

It seemed pregnant bellies were everywhere.

Months later I had to go in for three major surgeries to take out my colon and was told the chances of me having another baby were extremely slim. I was OK with that knowing that my husband and I would adopt.

One and a half years passed and sweet Addison was born.

Two years later we received a call through our foster agency that they were looking for a family to FOSTER a four week old who was born addicted to drugs and had been at PICC the last four weeks. www.picc.net My heart raced with excitement! The kids and I picked her up the next day. When she was three months we were asked if we would consider adopting her. OF COURSE!

When Brooklyn was 3 days shy of 10 months we received an email about a baby boy born...Brooklyn's baby brother. We were asked if we would take him too! OF COURSE!

I lost two babies, I prayed for healing. The Lord gave me two babies, within two years! This is unheard of in the foster world. The Lord had a plan.

I don't think we are done adding to our family. After seeing that video today I am ready to hop on a plane and go adopt a baby from another country!

Our story is still unfolding. Our family is still being developed but what shocks me, what gives me goosebumps is it planned. Whether or not you adopt or feel called to adopt is not the point of this post. The point is being willing to listen to that still, small voice and take the plunge.

Children are a blessing. Even when they are driving you crazy! And trust me, mine do drive me nuts! Children are our future.
Children are worth it.

And just when you think you are done and you have had enough there is a surprise waiting for you right around the corner...maybe even two.

Be a blessing today.