the love of adoption

Chuck and I went on a little "alone time" long weekend trip, without children. And boy did we miss them. We have a beautiful 9 year old daughter that entered our life when she was only 5. I need to back up a little and give some background. About 16 years ago (1994), when my husband and I were newly married and blending our families, we went to a church service with our pastor and his wife. After the service, the preacher came up to my husband and I and told us that she saw us with a blond haired, blue eyed little girl. We just nervously laughed it off, and promptly forgot about it. Now fast forward to 2004, Chuck and I are new empty nesters, so we started to do foster care for high risk children. These are children that have been abused and neglected and find family life difficult. In 2006 a little girl moved into our home, after her prospective adoptive family (the second family) decided they didn't want her. So she was bumped up to a level 2 (therapeutic care) and deemed "unadoptable". She moved into our home in August 2006 and DSS hoped that we could help her work through her issues so she could someday be adopted. Now this little girl was severly neglected, and abused, and she was only 5. One day she was having another meltdown, and after trashing her room, she was throwing herself around the living room floor screaming how she hated us, and herself, and wishing she was dead. I was sitting on the sofa, crying and praying, when I remembered that long ago church service, and heard a Voice, clear as a bell, saying "there is your blond haired, blue eyed little girl". I wish I could say that like Mary my response was "Your will oh Lord". But it was more like "God, You must be joking!" When my husband got home from work I was updating him on our day, when I remarked, "remember that service at mother huntley's church"? Chuck stopped what he was doing, looked at me, and said "well, then I guess we need to adopt her". I wish I could tell you that we all lived happily ever after, but it's been a long 4 years since then. BUT NOW....Hannah is so much a part of our lives, it's hard to imagine what life would be like without her.

People remark how she looks like me, but she acts like my husband. He says she gets her smart mouth and artistic skills from my side of the family, and I say she gets her stubborness and daredevil risk taking from his side of the family. And we both say "she is ours!"

So if you have ever considered fostering or adopting a child, don't hesitate. A blessing from God could be waiting for you.

And Hannah, Mommy and Daddy will be home soon!

Debbi