How Adoption Changed OUR Lives

I know I talk about adoption, and our kids, a LOT.  But I started this blog to follow our adoption journey that first led us to Kate, and now to Karsten, so I don't apologize for that.  Adoption is a HUGE part of our lives.  We talk about it constantly, and both Kate and Karsten will know, for as long as they can remember, what adoption is and what it has meant for our family.  

At age 3, Kate knows who her birth family is by name. She will tell you that she grew in her birth mom's tummy, and then they placed her in Mommy and Daddy's arms to take home.  She knows that Karsten grew in a different birth mom's tummy, and then she chose US to be Karsten's family.  Kate doesn't understand all of the intricacies of adoption, but she is learning.  Adoption will never be a surprise to her, and in the same way it won't be a surprise to Karsten. It just IS, and it completed our family.

Often times when we are talking to people about adoption, we get the comment that our girls "are so lucky" that we adopted them.  We feel flattered that people would say that, but quite honestly, WE are the lucky ones.

I think people who are unfamiliar with adoption sometimes have the impression that adopted children come from horrible circumstances, or are from third world countries and lived in depravity.  While I'm sure that this is sometimes true, it was absolutely NOT the case for Kate or Karsten.  Before they were placed in our arms, neither of our girls were ever without love. They both had birth families that loved them very much.  They both were held by their first-families, and many tears shed over the decision they made to place their daughters for adoption.  And in the end, their birth families picked US (Kevin and me) to be their Mommy and Daddy, and for that we are forever grateful.  

So you see, WE are the lucky ones. 

Why are WE the lucky ones? 

- Kevin and I get to be parents. Without adoption, that wouldn't be possible. 

- As parents, we get to understand on another level God's true sacrifice of His Son for us. 

- Knowing our own love for our daughters, we can better grasp the depth of God's love for us, as adopted sons and daughters through Jesus Christ. 

- We have a full home, filled with little footsteps, laughter, screams, sometimes tears, hugs, and love.

-  We have a life that is anything but boring. (Okay, you can most definitely have that without kids, but let me tell you, they definitely make it pretty much impossible to have a boring life).

Yep. Kevin and I are pretty much the lucky ones in our family.

Though, if we're being REALLY honest, I don't think luck has much to do with it.  Luck implies that it was just "by chance" that we are Kate and Karsten's parents and I just can't accept that.  I believe that this was all part of God's plan for our family.  He knew before any of us were created that we would be a family.  It didn't come along in the traditional ways, but God can use any circumstance for His glory. In our family He chose to use adoption. And we will thank Him for that amazing gift every day.