What I've Learned As An Adoptive Mom

First of all, I've learned that titles bother me...adopted, biological, blah, blah, blah it all feels the same. My son is as dear and precious to me as my daughter, but the process by which he joined our family was different. Thus I learned things along the way that I did not have the chance to learn with my pregnancy with Lu.

So, I've also learned...

~Not to "limit" God and what He will do for you...we never thought that we would be able to find the funds for a $12,000 placement fee...and lo and behold we didn't find the funds for that but for a $20,000 placement fee, which is the better part of what we earn (and live on) in a year! But why am I surprised, that the God who parted the Red Sea and toppled the walls of Jericho could supply us with what we needed to bring our son home.

~In order to experience God to the fullest, you have to make yourself vulnerable, you have to take a risk to know that He will catch you!

~God doesn't work in expected ways.
What we thought would work well for us wasn't what He had in mind. He has blessed with the child we couldn't have dreamed up:)

~Love transcends biology...and you can love someone before you meet them or even know any details about who they are.

~You find out who cares about you when you do something or go through something that is life-changing...it is amazing to see who will give beyond what you might think possible/sensible and how humbled/loved you will feel!

~The Lord sends it when you need it, whether "it" is a nap, caffeine, a friendly phone call, or a baby:)

~God loves Me and, at least in this one circumstance of adoption, I find myself surrounded and empowered by His will. How thrilling it is to know that what I want and what God wants for my life match! Not that I conformed or maneuvered His plan to fit mine, but that somehow, despite my sinfulness and spiritual immaturity (and density sometimes) I still, through His grace, found the path that He wanted for me and my family and see that He is bridging gaps and working miracles to make it possible to continue. AND He is showing me my purpose in life. Mine is not to be a life of ease and luxury, but I wouldn't want it that way. I want to do something difficult, to accomplish something that goes beyond my own existence and positively affects the lives of others, especially those who have harder obstacles to overcome.

~Children are a blessing...no matter where they come from, how much or little melanin they have in their skin, or what their I.Q. or life-potential is.

~Human life is precious...(well, I believed this before, but now I couldn't be more convinced) and it deserves respect and protection in whatever form it takes.

~Children are not an accessory...and they are not here for my own amusement either (even thought most of the time they are very amusing)! Children are an opportunity to love in action, because you give and give, hoping but not requiring anything in return. And the more you give the more you get.

~Caffeine is a necessary evil/good to function on days following nights that seemed like day, except it was dark and you couldn't keep your eyes open while bottle feeding your son who wouldn't sleep afterwards and you keep reminding yourself over and over, I really, really love him, I really, really wanted him, I don't really need sleep, this too shall pass, I will miss him at this age, I'm not falling asleep, I'm not falling asleep, I'm not......................................:)

~That you really don't NEED 8 hours of unbroken sleep...it's all in your mind really, once you get going for the day and stop thinking about the fact that you only got 3.5 hours of sleep, it doesn't bother you!!

~God loves surprises...just the other day we got a reply from a granting agency we applied to 3 months ago...they awarded us $7,000...so we should be able to pay off our adoption loan! This was so unexpected, so out of the blue...it could only be the Lord's hand directing all this and we are learning to just lean back and let Him do the driving!