Yes, they are all my kids!

Adoption can be so difficult. None of the 3,000 letters we painstakingly sent resulted in any leads for getting a child. What did work was telling all our friends and family our desire for children. We also printed up bright, yellow business cards that had our information on them.

Within 27 months and a lot of joy and heartache, we ended up with 3 successful adoptions. Cameron was our first gift and oldest son, and when he was 17 months old we were blessed with Ryan. Ten months later Tanner joined our little guys, and we had a houseful. It was incredible. Ron and I had a bustling life full of snuggles, bedtime stories, a tower of diapers, and joyful chaos.

People gave us strange looks with our 3 little guys. Ryan is dark skinned and Tanner is the fairest of fairs with big blue eyes. It was obvious they were not twins but so close in age.

I have to share 2 times when I had a little fun with curious onlookers.

Once I was making a trip to the pediatrician with Tanner in the front pack, Ryan in the backpack, and Cam walking beside me, hand in hand. An older lady on the elevator asked me if these were all my kids. When I beamed a big yes at her, she whispered under her breath that I should learn about birth control. I turned and smiled at her and told her that my husband and I never use birth control. What I didn't share was that I had a hysterectomy so really had no need for birth control. That still makes me smile.

Ok, so that was not the only time I had fun with people's curiosity. Later, we were at the park and I just loved putting Tanner and Ryan in the swing with four holes. They could sit back to back and Cam in the next swing allowed me to swing all my beautiful kids at the same time. So another mom was swinging her child when she asked if these were all my children. When I said yes proudly, she hesitated for a few moments. Then she observed that they didn't look very much alike. I giggled to myself and told her they had three different fathers, and my husband didn't mind. Such fun!

Families come in so many forms these days. Ron and I feel blessed that three years later we added our precious, preemie Natalie to our family. She was under 2 pounds when she was born. Her age and size have never kept her from keeping up with her 3 older brothers.

I thank God for my life and my wonderful, busy family.

In Him,
Joyful
1-12-2010
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