Some Thoughts

After going to our agency's picnic this past weekend and some other things... I've been thinking a lot about "stuff" and the miracle that is adoption. Honestly, this post is a long time coming. It has been floating around in my brain for a while.

I think a lot about R and E's adoptions and their referrals. All the things that led up to our receiving referrals for these so very perfect-for-our-family girls. In R's case, a family that had been one spot ahead of us but was on both the boys' and girls' lists decided to take their name off the girls' list... Thus, putting us in the perfect place for R to be our daughter. And they have a son who is perfect for their family.

In E's case, my friend H had told me what she "saw" in a dream as far as what E looked like and who she would be... (She also "saw" R's birth in a dream and was spot on as far as R's appearance, age, etc.) I think sometimes about how she could be so right about one child and so wrong about the other-- especially when H's dreams are pretty much always accurate. But, you see, there was a little baby who spent a few days in the hospital before she was referred to an amazing family, and I can't help but wonder if she hadn't been sick if we would have been matched with her instead of them (they were behind us on the waiting list)... This child fits H's description of E exactly, but as fate, as God would have it, this wasn't our E after all. She was meant for another family, and our E was meant for us... To be honest, I don't know if she came to my agency's home before E did or the same day or what.

I think about the friendships and the changes adoption has brought into our lives. The experience of going through the adoption process, traveling to Ethiopia, and parenting transracially is something can never fully understand until you experience yourself. Parenting my girls is not always easy... Some of this is adoption-related and some of this is just simply part of having children, but I am so very thankful for them.

And I'm thankful for the family of fellow adoptive parents I've gotten to know and have in my life.. part of my family, too. I love that my girls can run around and play with other little Ethiopian children. I love that I have been able to travel to Ethiopia 2 times and that Ethiopian culture is now part of my life. I love the support of other adoptive moms when things get tough.

Some people don't understand adoption... or why someone would adopt internationally... or why someone would adopt transracially. To them, all I can say is that my girls are just as much my children as if I had carried them for 9 months... we adopted from Ethiopia because that is where our girls were... and lastly, although I know there will be challenges for our babies, we cannot imagine two more perfect girls for our family.