Over the years I have met some pretty fantastic people all because of adoption! Some I would've never known, some I've known only through facebook, some I would've known but not been able to understand what they were going through. The case workers, attorneys, GALs (some more beloved than others), friends and family. I am thankful for those who cared for my kids before they came to me. Thank you to J and R who stepped up to care for Sam and Landon. Thank you to the nurses at MMC who cared for Jewel-Anne. Thank you to the countless people who stood up to love on Liana as she made her journey home to us. Thank you to the awesome staff at FSRM and ETCH for caring for Isaiah and for the excellent treatment I received during the time I spent with him there. Thank you to the staff of Choices Resource Center. Thank you to a special lady named Amy Rigmy. Your foster care adoption story helped me know we were doing the right thing. Even though we've only had a couple conversations over the years I think of you and pray for you often. Thank you to our birth mothers - without your willingness to give our children life, I wouldn't be able to call them my own. You've given me the greatest gift one woman can give to another. I will never be able to express my gratitude to you enough.
There are a some special people I have to thank as well. Thank you to our friend Jeff Stroud. You stepped up and helped us get the ball rolling. God used you to speak to us saying "It's time." You helped us get started on the path to adoption. Without you we wouldn't have Sam and Landon. God planned their story down to the minute so much that if we'd waited ANY time, we wouldn't have got to be their parents.
Thank you to Stephanie. In the time I have known you, you have been a great source of strength, information and love for me. You've kicked my behind when I let others walk all over me. You helped me find the courage to fight even harder for my kids. You are the one person on this earth who truly understands this journey because you are fighting it right here, two steps ahead of me! I am thankful for all the people in my life who have prayed us through this, but to have someone who completely understands where you are in invaluable. You are always there for me and my family when we need you. You care for my babies just like I would.
Thank you to John. You stood by me through miscarriage after miscarriage. You were strong for me when I couldn't be. You were willing to go on this long, wild rollercoaster called DCS Adoption. You sat in classes with me amidst the tears still fresh from grief. Five different times I called you at work to tell you that God had blessed us with another child. You walked through the door with a smile on your face and no idea how our lives had just changed. ;-) You have been here every step of the way. I know that there is no one else I'd rather have taken this journey with. I love you.
Thank you to our precious Glory Babies. Without each of you, I wouldn't be the Mama I am today. Thank you to Michael. God timed your entrance to our lives perfectly. OUR plan had been to wait until the following year to start the adoption process. God gave us you to interrupt our plans. Days after we found out that you'd gone to Heaven, I told your Daddy that after we'd had a little while to heal, I wanted to start classes. You were looking out for your brothers even then.
Most of all, thank You God for loving me, my husband and my kids enough to adopt each of us! Thank you for all of the people known and unknown who played a part in our journey. Thank You for extending grace through the pain and tears, strength for my weakness and for caring for my babies even before I could. Thank You so much for not giving me what I thought was my idea of perfect. My arms would be so empty if I had waited for that to happen. I am thankful you know what is best for me.
Adoption has touched my life in so many ways. I am so thankful God placed me on this journey. The road has been long, and often difficult, but there is nothing that compares to the rewards I've been given. If you are sitting there and have been thinking about adoption, the time is now! Please don't wait a moment longer. There are over a million children waiting to find their forever homes. Private Adoption is wonderful, but DCS kids are some of the most amazing little people. They deserve to have love, too! I have done 3 infant placements and I cannot imagine my life without them. Equally as special, though is my the adoption of my big boys'. Older kids deserve to be loved just as much as the babies. I challenge you today to let God out of the box you have placed Him in. Release Him from your idea of perfect and say "yes" to His desire to bless you. You won't regret it. If you are ready to say yes, but don't know where to start, please email me. I want to pray for you and help you get started.
Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. - James 1:27
Blessings,
Weight Loss Mama
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