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| One of Jim’s favorite poems is “The Road Not Taken,” by Robert Frost. And certainly we do all make decisions each day that will impact our future. A few friends and family who have heard the news of our plans to adopt have asked us, “Why?” “Why this?” and “Why now?” For me the desire to adopt has been one that was planted in my heart a very long time ago…perhaps even as far back as when my own parents considered adoption when I was a small child. As I think back over the years, there have been points of contact with adoption that have brushed my heart. I recall listening to a speaker who talked in my childhood church about fostering children in need. I recall watching a documentary called “The Dying Rooms” sometime in the 1980’s and of course many of us can recall the reports of the Romanian Orphanages with so much need. A few summers ago while driving home from a vacation, I read a book out loud to Jim called The Lost Daughters of China. “Poor Jim,” you may be thinking! Yes, you are so right. Not only because he was a captive audience but also because I cried as I read it!! So many moments in our married life the adoption question has come to the surface and never was the time right. Finally in January of 2006, I felt a very strong pull to consider the timing for adoption again. This time, things just seemed right and the calling to adopt was so intense for me that I recall telling Jim that I felt sure our daughter had just been born or was about to be born. It was almost as if her spirit was calling my name. As it turned out, when we received our referral to consider Katie for adoption, we found she had been born in January of 2006. |
When a child is born invisible threads extend from the child’s spirit and connect to all the significant people who will be part of the child’s life. As the child grows, the threads shorten, drawing closer those people who are destined to be together. – An Ancient Chinese Belief-
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On Mother’s Day of 2006, Jim and I sat at our kitchen table, and signed a contract with All God’s Children, Inc. to adopt a new daughter from China. It was a thrilling moment for me personally and it started our family on a road less traveled that has been full of paperwork, anticipation and excitement, mixed with plenty of anxiety and frustration! We so look forward with joyful hearts the homecoming of our new baby girl. Stepping out into the unknown in faith can be difficult but God has blessed our journey to Katie thus far and we trust he will carry us through. Having the ability to provide a home and a loving family to a child in need is a thrill beyond compare and completely a blessing to us.
Emily and Jonathan will soon be having a new little sister to get to know. For Emily, the new addition to the family will mean little change since she is now married to Ben and living on her own with him. For Jonathan, the adjustments will be more challenging as Katie will come with ready feet to walk and fingers to touch everything! Of course Katie will have her own significant tasks of adjustment as nothing will smell, look, sound or taste the same as what she has come to know, not to mention the time change adjustment! We believe a few hairy beasts (four dogs and a cat) within the house will be a considerable surprise for her too. My goodness, talk about things going topsy turvy!
When faced with the question of how we might want to spend the next 20 years of our life and what we might do that would be worthwhile, we came to the conclusion that there is nothing that we could do that would provide more satisfaction or joy to us than raising another child. Children are a gift from God and providing a home where a child can grow, learn, hope, dream and become is an awesome task and a great honor for us as parents. Having decided to take the adoption road, a road less traveled by, we will no longer need to worry about sitting in our rocking chairs someday wondering how our lives might have been changed by adoption. We have chosen this path now to bring our Katie finally home and we do believe within our hearts it will make all the difference. |
The Road Not Taken Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, - Robert Frost |