I was reflecting today on this whole process and our lives leading up to this point. It really is amazing to see how everything in our lives has pointed us to growing our family through adoption of a special needs child.
- For several summers in my middle school and high school years I took mission trips with our church to downtown Jacksonville, Florida and worked with the children there. Children who craved attention. Children who wouldn't have fit in with the kids here where we live. Children who made me take a second look at my heart. It was here I started to really learn that God's love is not based on society, money, or class. God's love is unconditional. For everyone. This is the love we are supposed to model.
- In college I tutored a boy with moderate-severe autism and worked in a few special needs classrooms. Seeing as our daughter will probably have institutional autism for at least a while after coming home, I have gained valuable experience in how to relate to her and help her thrive.
- When Craig and I decided to start our family it took a lot longer than planned. Not as long as some, thankfully, but long enough that we began to talk about "what if" regarding fertility testing, in-vitro, and adoption. We didn't have to go that route, but I look back now and see that God waited to give us Nathan and Alex to get the adoption thought planted in our minds.
- A week after Alex was born in January of 2011 we felt called to move to a new neighborhood in town. Our house sold after a WEEK on the market and we were blessed to get an amazing deal on a beautiful large home. A home that just happens to have an unused extra bedroom downstairs adjacent to a full bath. A home that, unknowing to us at the time is absolutely perfect for a child who could potentially be in a wheelchair for the rest of her life. A home in a neighborhood where we are surrounded by people who are invested in our lives and in Miah's life. A home in a neighborhood where we have friends who can (and have!) stopped by at the drop of a hat to lend a hand or a hug.
- As parents we lean toward a more "attachment based" parenting style. I still break out the Ergo with Alex and wear her around the house. Our kids slept in our room until they were at least 6 months old. It's what came natural to us. We got some weird looks, but it worked for us. Come to find out through adoption training, attachment based parenting is THE BEST way to parent a child from a hard background. Social workers will tell you it's the only way to parent a child from a hard background. And it completely makes sense. I'm thankful that we're already on the right track to help her adjust to her new life with us. We're nowhere near perfect but we have a good background on how to do things.
- In May of 2011 we left our church of 10+ years and joined the core team to help launch Freedom Church. We had no idea this would be a major turning point in our lives. Our faith has been challenged, tested, and strengthened like nothing I've ever experienced. Freedom Church has changed our lives.
- Shortly after joining Freedom Church we met a couple who just happen to live in our neighborhood and were in the middle of a domestic adoption. We got to follow them through the highs and lows of adoption and see how very blessed they are by their son. They helped us become emotionally prepared for whatever might be thrown at us.
And that's just the beginning. The puzzle is all fitting together. We were meant to adopt a child from a hard place.
Now we just need Georgia to get the memo so the adoption process can fall into place and we can finish our home study. ;)
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