The Beginning of a New Adventure: Our Adoption Journey

I've written and erased this journal entry a dozen times. Each time completely different.

I began to shape the details of our special announcement, but then a lot of questions came to mind. WHAT should I share? Do I tell about the heartbreak that led us to this point so people know how serious we are about this choice and share in our excitement? HOW do I share something so exciting and precious to our family? Do I tell them how vulnerable and nervous we feel? WHEN is it appropriate to share that we've begun this journey? WHY is how we decide to share the news with family and friends so important to us?

Then the teacher in me kicked in; teach about our journey in a fun and creative way.  The advertising major in me wanted to create an awesome visual to share the good news. The effect of a decade of non-profit work took over, and I envisioned a strategic plan to make the vision a reality. The writer in me grasped to tell our story without sounding depressing.  The Christian in me struggled to express God's hand in this decision.  The wife in me wrestled with how much to share while respecting Pete's privacy and career.  In other words, every part of me was competing to express the importance of our new adventure... our adoption journey.

I took a step away from the computer for a few days, and then it dawned on me.  I was getting tugged in all sorts of different directions, and I needed to just speak from the part of me that wanted to jump for joy and scream our news from the rooftops-- the mother in me. There is no greater influence over me than motherhood. There is no part of me stronger, no voice in me louder, no piece of me more treasured than the mother in me.

So, with no special graphics, no short story, no lesson plan, but admittedly with prayer...
As a mother of one with a dream for many, I am so happy to share ...

We are adopting!

We are beginning the process of finding our "somewhere child" through adoption.  The dream of having more children has been alive and well in my heart for over 15 years, but in the past few months, the song of a child I am meant to raise and love through adoption has been whispered into my heart and most importantly into the hearts of our whole family.

We have great hope that the adoption process will work for us, and at the end of this journey, we will hold our "somewhere child" tightly in our arms and forever in our hearts as a family.

There you have it. The journey to find our child has begun. I invite you to make my journey yours and follow along as we post updates and share this new adventure through this blog.