National Adoption Month

I've been wanting to write a post for National Adoption Month but wasn't sure what I wanted to say. Adoption has become my life. I love adoption. Everything I thought I knew about adoption, God has turned that upside down.  Adoption has changed our lives & we haven't even brought our sweet baby home yet! This time last year my world was turned upside down when Jimbo & I first found out we wouldn't be able to have children naturally. Every dream & idea I had been imaging that my life would be, was wrecked. My dreams of becoming a mother, my dreams of my curly headed children were taken from me.
While I struggled with my new view of what my future would be like, God began to show me how adoption was what he wanted for us. How adoption was his plan all along. I never knew I would love something so much & hate it at the same time. Adoption is hard & exhausting. It is beautiful and ugly. How is it possible to feel joy & sorrow at the same time? Adoption hurts. It hurts to know that our greatest joy will be her biggest sorrow. I feel guilty. Guilty that I get to have this precious baby boy & that she has to chose to give him to us because she can't take care of him. I hurt for her. People say he is the lucky one, but WE are the lucky ones. As we get closer to Oliver's due date I pray that L finds comfort in her decision. She amazes me & I love her so. We had a great visit with them last weekend. I was in awe of them the entire trip.  L & J are the most self-less and courageous people I have ever met. I hope that I can be half the mother that she already is. She is choosing life for her baby boy. A life that she knows he deserves & a life that she can't give him right now. Adoption is not possible without pain, on either or both sides. But what a beautiful journey it is.
Throughout our journey I have made some amazing friends. These women are some of the strongest women I have ever met. If anything adoption turns women into warriors. These precious friends have fought battles for their babies & I have learned so much from them (Casey, Elizabeth, Holly, Ashley, Jessica..just to name a few). I would not be able to get through this without their encouragement. I have built lifetime friendships through adoption & I am so grateful.

I pray that more people get to experience adoption as I have. National Adoption Month is meant to spread awareness for adoption. Whether you plan to adopt or can educate others about adoption, please spread the word! Adoption isn't for everyone but everyone can help in some way! Every adoption is one less child that has to end up in foster care. So friends please join me this month in celebrating adoption! Learn all you can about it  & lend a hand to those who need it. We love you all & thank you for your support!