Got Family?

You all know how I feel about adoption. Hard to miss when I'm beating you over the head with it.

And as I said in yesterday's post, there are 143 million orphans in this world.

Folks? That is wayyyyyyy too many.

One would be too many.

I know that the idea of adopting a child seems like something that you cannot do. Someone else will have to. Too much work.

Know what else is a lot of work? Putting out fires. But it needs to be done.

Same with adoption. It IS a lot of work.

Paperwork hassles.
Becoming vulnerable.
Taking in a child born to someone else and trying to achieve the sense for both of you that you are now the parent. That he or she is your child.
You've already got kids.
Not enough money.
Not enough time.
Not a big enough house.
Not a big enough car.

I get it, I do.

But what if the child living next door to you was suddenly orphaned? Whole family died in a terrible car crash except for her. No living relatives. What would your mind frame be then? Could you fold her into your family? If she knocked on your door and said she had no place to go, what would you do? You can flog me later for using a cheesy, religious cliche, but WWJD?



I'm hoping I can still serve as parent for other children someday, by working with the foster care system. Right now I can't b/c they won't place a foster child in a home that has six or more children under the age of 18 (which I have so many problems with, but that's another post).

But no one said I can't advocate for them. So I'm going to start featuring foster children in need of adoptive homes on my blog from time to time.

You might wonder, since I have adopted three kids from Kazakhstan, why I am choosing to advocate for the kids in the U.S. as opposed to the kids overseas. The way I see it, adopting kids here, there, or anywhere, it matters not. Just give them homes for Christ's sake (not blaspheming here, I mean that quite literally). And since my friend Lori does such an over-the-top amazing job of connecting kids (particulary from China, particularly those with special needs) with families, I'm letting her stick to that end of things while I take the reins up over here. But check out her opinions on international adoption, and her blog in general, especially the featured kids. Wonderful work she's doing over there.

Anyway, back in my neck of the woods, foster system kids.
Like this boy. Oh my gosh, he would be so perfect for our family, wouldn't he?

I need to play with things a bit and see how to copy the info and pictures into a post, as right now I seem to be having some trouble with that (hopeless technophobe, I know). But it looks like you CAN get there by clicking his link. Don't be afraid. Click it. No harm in looking. No one will even know you did it.



To quote him,

"I love animals and would love to live on a farm."

Know what I bet he would love even more?

Having people in his life that he could call Mom and Dad.


I know most prospective adoptive parents are drawn to the little ones. So easy to see why. Ohmygoshtheyaresostinkin'cute.

But my heart pulls me in the direction of older kids.

Think about it. You're a 16 year old girl. You have lost your family and have likely been bounced around through several foster homes. All you want is a place to call home. Parents. A Mom to help you pick out your prom dress. Someone to roll your eyes at when she hugs you in front of your friends. In a couple years? A home you can return to at Christmas, Thanksgiving. Someday? A Dad to walk you down the aisle. You've got two years left to make that happen, and then, your chance is over. The first 18 years of your life are gone, and the rest of your life stretches before you without a home foundation.

I cannot imagine being 18 and facing the rest of my adult life without the roots of a family.

I just read a blog post from someone a couple days ago that talked about going to the wedding of a girl she had fostered years earlier. The girl had been a teen when this woman served as foster Mom to her, and she hadn't been with her long. The woman had felt like maybe she hadn't made a whole lot of difference in the young woman's life, but at the wedding, she learned differently.

You can make a difference. An enormous difference.

So go ahead. I DARE YOU. Put out some feelers and see what you can do. Even if only for a little while. Sometimes, "a little while" is all a kid needs for forever.....





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