Adoption----Inconceivable Transformations

I would suspect that most people who have visited this blog are adoptive parents, while the few who are not have been touched by adoption in one way or another. As I felt inspired to begin a new blog, I spent a lot of time thinking about our adoption of Josie-Tatum. Oh, how I prayed for her when we waited, before we even knew who she was. And, since the day she joined our family forever, God has absolutely transformed our lives immeasurably more than I asked or could have imagined.

When we were a family of four, waiting on Josie-Tatum, I never could have imagined we would one day be a family of seven.




After bringing Josie-Tatum home, I sometimes thought there might be another child for our family in China, but I never thought there was another child for us in China and another for us right here in our hometown. I never imagined that Brandon, the young boy who sometimes spent the night upstairs in my home would one day be MY son.



There are as many motivations for adoption as there are families who have adopted. For us, I had a burden for children in orphanages. Listening to the radio progam Focus on the Family, I learned of welfare institutions in China, full of babies in cribs who needed to be held and loved, where there were not enough adults to give the care they needed. After years of prayer, we felt our family could give LOVE to one of those children.

When I first saw this face.

I never could have imagined how much Josie-Tatum would bless me. One night, several weeks after coming home with her, I was lying with her in bed. She was "clapping" her feet saying, "Ma Ma Ma Ma," as she fell asleep. It was then it occurred to me, "I had thought she needed a mama. What I didn't realize was, I needed a baby."

I am sure, too, that the adoption of Josie-Tatum led us to adopt Ellie. And, Ellie brings joy wherever she goes. She is forever smiling, bubbling, bringing smiles to others. She cruises with walker with as much energy as any 4 year old. She surprises all who meet her with her tenacity, her innate ability to overcome obstacles with joy.




But, the most inconceivable transformation comes from Josie-Tatum herself. When we first committed to adoption, I could never have imagined praying nightly with a 6-year-old with a burden for orphans left behind. I never dreamed I would one day be traveling to South Africa with that precious little 14-month-old baby I met on a cold February day in China. Never did I think I would hear a little girl ask, "Mama, do you think there will ever be a day when there are no more orphans?" I could not have imagined the pride that would swell in my heart when that little girl would be asked at her kindergarten graduation, "What do you want to do when you grow up?" And, she would say, "When I grow up, I want to go all around the world helping orphans. I want to take people around the world and show them how they can help orphans."



So, if you'd like to meet this precious gift from our heavenly Father, take a peek at her blog. Pray that God will continue the Wondrous Works He has begun in her heart. Leave her some encouraging words, and join me in anticipating the inconceivable in her life!

Blessings,
Robbie