August 24, 2010 is the day that I officially adopted Ashley. That was a wonderful day and God answered many prayers that day. I kind of feel like that day is her birthday. I think as each year that passes I feel more and more blessed. I really know now what it is like to love and do anything for your children. I love her more then life. I really understand now when people say not to make the momma bear mad. Ashley is such a blessing she is full of life, funny, loving.
This is from Jen Hatmaker I thought it really spoke about adoption.
Is adoption easy? No it is not. Is this simple? Nope. Complicated and long-term. Will bonding be immediate and seamless? Will you struggle with guilt and fear that first year? Yes, but you shouldn’t. You’ve agreed to partner with God in some difficult, heart-wrenching work, and it’s no kum-by-yah party. Give grace to yourself; God already has.
Anything worth fighting for is worth fighting through, and adoption is one of them. I can hardly think of something closer to God’s character, who is the “Father to the fatherless, defender of widows — this is God, whose dwelling is holy.” Certainly, we are his difficult children who spaz out and pull away and manipulate and struggle. We distrust His good love and sabotage our blessings, imagining our shame disqualifies us or that God couldn’t possibly be faithful to such orphans.
But He is. We are loved with an everlasting love, and it is enough to overwhelm our own fear and shame and humanity. In adoption, God is enough for us all. He can overcome our children’s grief. He can overshadow our own inadequacies. He can sweep up our families in a beautiful story of redemption and hope and healing. If you are afraid of adoption, trying to stiff-arm the call, God is the courage you don’t have. If you are waiting, suffering with longing for your child, God is the determination you need. If you are in the early days of chaos, God is the peace you and your child hunger for. If your family feels lost, He is the stability everyone is looking for. If you are working hard on healing, digging deep with your child, God is every ounce of the hope and restoration and safety and grace.
In Him, you can do this.
He is enough for us all.
The Day We Adopted You
Author: Unknown
If we had it to do over again
Adoption is what we'd choose
We got more than we had hoped for
The day we adopted you
For you have given us more in life
Than we could ever want or need
You made our house into a home
And made our family complete
We love you more than life itself
for all the things you say and do
And if we had it to do over again
You'd be the only one we'd choose
We Love you Ashley more then you know!!!!
