A Little More of Our Story

We considered adoption when we were dating.  It was important to me to have children.  I always wanted to be a mother.  So I asked my husband, Russell, if he was willing to adopt children if we didn't have biological children.  He was more than willing to go that route.  We did end up having biological children, which was very important to me.  Why?  Well, because I myself was an adopted child and I really wanted to have someone who looked like me.  It might seem trite to some of you but it was a deep yearning in me.  However, I had a yearning inside to have more children.

I have often thought throughout my life that since I was adopted I would grow up and adopt a child and complete the "circle" (that's why I put the word circle in our blog title).   I remember in 2003 checking into adoption and found out it was soooo expensive that I never pursued it at all.  At that time our daughters were 6 and 4 years old.  I was disappointed but thought it was just something "rich" people did.

In 2007 our family went on a mission trip to Nicaragua.  We went to visit the village where we had once lived. You see in August 2001 we had gone to work at a mission outpost in a jungle village for one year.  It was one of the best experiences in our lives. During that time we fell in love with the Miskito Indians.  We particularly remember a little boy named Adoni.  He followed Russell everywhere.  He was the same age as our older daughter (at that time 5 years old).  Well, on our return visit in July 2007, we realized Adoni was abandoned and living with various relatives in the village.  So we started the process of trying to adopt him but it didn't work out, and we were heart broken. 

God was still leading us.  I believe He was gently leading us to open our hearts to other children.  I would hear about orphans on the christian radio station.  I learned about Steven Curtis Chapman and all work his family has done for orphans.  I heard a testimony of a girl who was adopted from an orphanage in Russia and how much it meant for her to have a family.  I love music and I heard the song all "I Want for Christmas is a Family" and my heart broke.  I had been given a family, now I need to be a family for another child. So, I spoke with my husband about it and he agreed that we should move forward.  He felt that God was asking him to do this as well.

So, here we are on the waiting list.  Our arms are open wide ..............come home............