Our family
Today is National Adoption Day in National Adoption Month. Our lives have been forever changed by adoption, so completely that’s it’s almost impossible to think of what to say on this day. Noah joined our family 2.5 years ago, and Ethan and Anna came home only 15 months ago. This past year has been one of the hardest of my life for many reasons, but on this day, I want to honor my adopted kids by telling you just a few of the blessings and miracles we’ve seen:
Noah, immediately after open heart surgery, with pink lips, toes, and fingers for the first time. Miraculous.
Noah, after recovering, running and playing and laughing, joining the cross country team.
Noah, telling me he wanted to go to OSU. “Why, because you want to be a Buckeye?” I asked. “No,” he answered, “so I can stay close to home, mom.”
Ethan’s stunned and touched reaction to the first time his birthday was ever celebrated in his nine years.
Ethan’s sweet heart and amazing patience as he helped his new sister try to figure out how to ask her questions in English.
Ethan, when he finally felt safe after a year home, calling me “mommy” for the first time and climbing into my lap, telling me I needed to kiss “his whole face.”
Anna, who had never been able to make the sound “f” or “s” before because of her cleft palate, saying the word “face” correctly after her surgery and looking absolutely shocked and amazed.
Anna, singing at the top of her lungs in the shower, “I love my family! I love my family! I love my dad! I love my mom! I love my Toby! I love my Rachel…” and on through all of us.
Anna, when we were talking about the day we met and I asked her if she was scared and she answered, “Of course.” And I said, “Yes, it’s scary when you don’t know us and don’t know if we’ll be nice.” And she said, “oh no, mom, I knew right away I would love you. You and dad kept smiling and you helped me and you were so kind. I was scared I would never learn to talk to you!”
These are just a few moments that still take my breath away when I remember them, and bring tears to my eyes. And when I think of the patience, the persistence, the kindness and openness of my biological kids Rinnah, Rachel, and Toby to widening our family, to bringing others in and making this the new “us,” I am literally so proud I don’t even know how to express it. I have been blessed and blessed and blessed.
Adoption is hard. In a perfect world, there would be no adoption because it wouldn’t be necessary. But this world is broken, and there are kids who have had their lives turned upside down by that. They need families.
So, on this National Adoption Day, I want to say, this isn’t about me. While it’s been one of the hardest and best things I’ve ever done, this is not about my experience at all – it’s about three kids who have learned what a family is, that they have one forever, and are living into that new reality. It’s about having a front-row seat to redemption, both theirs and mine. It’s about God making all things new.
Let’s pray that all children everywhere who need a family get to know that reality too.