Why are you adopting again? Part 2

Edmund notices a lot.  And he noticed as I was advocating for children to be adopted and fostered.  His cousins were foster cousin and now adopted cousins.  He loves them.

Many of his friends, thanks to our amazing adoption group are adopted.  Some of our adoptive friends are in the adoption process right now and he asks questions as he hears pieces of conversations.

We read a lot and books are a great way to educate.  I choose social justice books, or books that talk about hard things in a way that is good for children.  He understood about us adopting Emma, about getting a sister, but now he is understanding about orphans.

I asked him what he thought about having another brother or sister.  His answer has always been yes.  And then he usually lists how many he wants.  My favorite answer was that he wanted "another sister and another brother so that the brothers can handle the sisters.  Because having sisters is a lot of work."

We prayed together almost every morning that if it was God's will that our family's hearts would be open to adopting.

The day I called our home study agency to talk about starting the home study process again he overheard me and he said, "Is it possible? Can we adopt??"

He was overjoyed and came running over to Emma and hugged her tight saying, "We're going to adopt from China again!"  Then he had to ask if we would be able to have the noodle soup he loved in China. haha! So when he tells people we are adopting he says we are going to China to get another brother or sister AND eat noodle soup.  He has serious love of this tomato, egg, noodle soup.

The last week of January at breakfast we were talking to Emma about why we were adopting.  "We're going to give a baby who doesn't have a mom or dad--or brother or sister a family."  And Edmund pipped up and said, "That's why I'm adopting!"

He has such a big heart.  He knows why he is adopting.  He claims this process as his.

This last week I was talking to Matthew about the changes that have happened in China since we adopted Emma and the differences in the process.  Edmund interrupted with horror in his voice, "We can't adopt?!" I reassured him that we would still be able to, but the process was just different.

He can't wait to go back to China. To ride the airplane, to eat noodle soup, to ride the bullet train.  He is ready to bring home his brother or sister but knows it is a long wait.  He told us recently that he wants a brother or sister "just my age."  So when I am on advocacy sites he points to a picture and says, "Are they four and a half?"  Last week he was just playing and then he turned to Matthew and said, "Can you show me some four and a half year olds?"  It made me laugh.  I tell him that we will just take whatever file China gives us.  He is okay with that too.

I am ridiculously proud of Edmund.  Our adoption and medical care of Emma hasn't been an easy or smooth road, but his heart has been moved for orphans and he is ready to be a big brother again.

Why are you adopting again? Part 1

This is a question I knew would come after we announced we were adopting again.

This is a layered question for us.  There are two blogs that I feel capture what is behind my heart for adopting again.  One a friend, Johanna wrote, and one I wrote.

Matthew and I have been feeling conviction in our hearts for some time now about how we areto live the one life God has given us. 

For me it has been like this.  Podcasts keep sharing authors and experiences where they life a life that isn't conventional because it is for God.  One author, Shannan Martin, moves from her farm to the  city to do urban ministry there.  Her books are Free Falling and Ministry in Ordinary Places. There is a book called Radical by David Platt.  The subtitle is: Taking Back Your Faith From the American Dream.

I have found that it is easy for us as Christians to be caught up in living the "American Dream."  In have a house in the country, a few children, stable jobs, and an uncomplicated life.  Now there is nothing wrong with these things I have listed.  However, it is easy to put those things above the things that God might be calling us to.

Adopting again is not all we feel called to, but it is a big part of it.  And so even though it may not make sense to others, we are going to adopt a child with special needs.  Yes, it will complicate our lives, but I think there will also be great beauty there.

We have been given this one life to live.  And we aren't called to live a life of comfort.  We are to follow where Jesus leads us, and this is where He is leading us.

My friend, Johanna writes,
"We do not need normal...we were not meant to blend in and look normal and live a normal life! We need GOD.

We were put on this earth to SHINE HIS LIGHT in the darkest places.

He gave us all a great purpose to LOVE BIG AND BOLD and Fierce and to forsake it all to find HIM.

We get ONE LIFE to make a difference and store up treasures where NO moth can destroy!”

A blog I wrote for No Hands But Ours also shares the way I have been deeply moved the heart families that I am privileged to know.  Here is a little excerpt from that:

"In all this, you have taught me, a fellow mama of a broken-hearted child, to choose the hard.
Choose the risk.
Choose the broken.
Because the beauty and love there is worth it."

We move forward into our new adoption knowing our life will change dramatically. But also knowing that the risk, the broken...there is beauty and love there that is worth it. 

We are so honored to have you join us on our journey.  We have a nickname for our child. We are not yet matched with a child and so we are praying to God to watch over Xiwang (pronounced Si wong).  It means hope.  So we pray to God to watch over Xiwang and be with both sides as we journey toward each other. 

This is no where near as eloquent as I want to be, but I wanted to start getting my thoughts out.  Thank you for praying for us and our new child and this journey. 

Going back to China to Adopt!