Joy And Pain Of Adoption

As you can imagine, with 4 adopted kids, I have some amazing stories to go with each adoption. Actually, Ron and I lived through a total of 7 adoptions. Yes, we had 3 that did not work out so well. Or shall I say, 3 that were not meant to be. I have no doubt that God's plan unfolded as it was meant to be with our 4 wonderful kids. Living through the infertility and the loss of 3 babies that we loved with every fiber of our beings was painful. Our faith was tested so much in those years.

I remember the Mother's Day before we got Logan our 1st baby. I was miserable. We didn't go anywhere. It was hard to believe I would ever get to be a mom. Everyone said it was so hard to adopt and took so very long. Patience was not in me. My heart was yearning for a baby and yearning for it now not 4 to 5 years from now.

Then we went to a friend's house on Christmas Eve and they told us about her sister and that she was pregnant and didn't feel ready for a child. We were elated! Best present we could have received.

Logan was born in February. We had everything ready for him. At the hospital, they packed up all kinds of goodies for us to take home with him. His bag was getting quite heavy. I told Ron he was going to have a time carrying it. He told me that I better empty somethings out because he was carrying his son and I would be carrying the bag.

We had Logan for 2 incredible months. He was our son. When his birth mother called and told us she had a hole in her heart and had to take him back, we wept. This could not be. But it was.

Could we have fought her? Yes. But that is the thing about adoption, at least for us. Everyone needs to feel it is the right thing. The way it is meant to be. We bundled up his favorite things, a sign that hung by his changing table, the blanket his Aunt Teri crocheted, and him. Ron and I carefully marked through the names on the back of pictures and made a new album for him. We only included pictures of him without us. It would be less confusing later.

Then we waited for her to come. Thinking she would have to rip him from our arms. But when the time came, we laid Logan on the floor and clung to each other. The three of us who all had hearts full of love for this baby. She was not cruel, she made a mistake. She had listened to others and her head saying she couldn't keep him, instead of her heart that was saying she couldn't let him go.

He turned 26 years old last week. He was raised with younger brothers. As unbelievable as it sounds, his mom fell in love with the pediatrician at the hospital. They were married when

he was a year old. I know it sounds like I am making this up but I am not. His new dad was Dr. Love. I swear!

Adoption is the most incredible act of love. Families are formed through this love. When we got Cameron in September it was perfect. He was meant to be our son. This was the right choice for his birth mother because she had made the decision with her heart. She knew he belonged to us. Everyone celebrates when an adoption works out. Cameron was always meant to be our oldest son. But I thank God I got to practice with Logan and love him for a couple months. I wouldn't trade either one for the world.

In Him,

Joyful
2-24-2010