Adoption Part 1

I'm going to do something I haven't done in awhile. Write. With words and not just pictures. If you haven't noticed I don't do this all that often. I mean I try to provide captions and mini stories with my pictures but this is different. I'm going to try to take what's jumbled up in my brain and put it on paper. There's various reasons why I don't take the time to write. One major reason is because it requires thinking. Let's just be honest any "thinking" that goes beyond my normal day I don't seem to have a brain for. I'm up at 6am thinking and planning out the kids school day, I try to get in the word and think/pray about how I'm going to apply the gospel as my plan from thinking the hour prior goes amiss. I school. I think about dinner. Somedays I actually make it. If I can get past the thinking that is. During the afternoons, if my kids are playing well and not fighting, I edit pictures for clients. Lots of thinking going on there. Chris gets home and I try to enter his world of church planting, counseling, administrating and join in with his thinking. Then I pass out shortly there after, or my brain explodes. Not much time for blogging thinking there.

Yet I feel compelled to write recently. I promise you it will be full of grammar errors and spelling mistakes. All my thinking in that arena goes towards grading my fourth graders essay's. Which are pretty much beyond me at this point as is. So consider this an apology for the inevitable.



Two years ago I met a girl named Stacie. She had daughter's around Taylor's age. We were walking around the zoo together with a homeschool group I had recently joined. She had told me a few months prior they were trying to adopt. By looking at her two girls it was fairly clear they weren't adopted. They couldn't look more like their mom. So my mind went to various reasons as to why they would now be adopting. I was wrong on all accounts. They simple felt a call and desire to adopt. It reflects God's heart. Awesome I thought. I prayed alongside them for the right child to be placed in their family. I prayed for this child in utero once they had a placement. I prayed as the birth mom gave birth. Then at last, I rejoiced with them when he was in their home! A few months later was their schedule court date. I had never been to a final adoption hearing before. They were so kind to extend the invitation out to our family. After a some brief visiting in the waiting area their names was called to enter the court. The judge walked into the room, sat at his desk and after the formal introductions he began to ask the girls if they think their daddy & mommy are good daddy's and mommy's. If I was my friend right about then I would be freaking out a little.

"Oh dear God, please don't let them talk about all the times I've spoken harshly"

Something like that. But since my friend probably never does that, they said

"YES!" They are a good mommy & daddy."

Then the judge asked the girls if they would like to have this boy as a brother. They girls enthusiastically said,

"YES! YES!"

Then the judge said something like,

"With the authority granted to me by the states I pronounce Tanner as now officially about of the "tanner" family. (left their real name out).

Tears streamed down my face. Streaming now as I recall this moment. I had never witnessed something so powerful and beautiful! It was truly amazing! Here was this boy, who's mom was unable to care for him. She had a choice. She beautifully choose life. And my friends choose to say, "We will be his family! He will be our son!" Seriously, adoption, and how it reflects the Gospel, has been taking my breath away lately.

Since then, I've attended another hearing for two precious boys and a third is on the way for two sweet little girls. All from our body at Grace! I praise God for these families and how they are caring for the orphans.

This is background to say that when I heard Together for Adoption was coming to Phoenix, I asked Chris if we could consider going. He thought it was a great idea. We weren't quite sure how to swing it financially though. Then life began to get a little busier then normal for Chris and we never pulled the trigger. I saw on facebook that Noel Piper was hosting a contest on her blog for two free registrations. I thought for a minute, couldn't hurt, as I entered my name. What are the chances really? Then I said some sort of prayer. The kind you really shouldn't pray. Like,

"Ok Lord, if you REALLY want us to go to this then you'll let us win".

I might've said a few other things to him. I should've known better. God has a sense of humor. Two days later there was a congratulations e-mail in my inbox from Noel! Chris walks in,

"Hey babe.... remember how we talked about going to t4g? Well... we are now! Ok?"