I am not sure I will ever not well up with emotions when I think about the blessings of our adoptions. Our six kids have been and continue to be the most amazing experience of my life. The fact that half of them came to us through adoption, well that just adds a lovely uniqueness that not everyone gets the privilege to experience.
4 days ago we sat before our local county judge for a second time, to re-adopt Asher. This re-adoption will allow Asher to become a US citizen and to get a US birth certificate (which in turn will allow us to get him a US passport). The judge was just as wonderful as she was with Anna and Gideon. She talked to all the kids and was subjected to Asher's non stop chattering, which was adorable and so Asher. :). I guess the biggest thing this the court hearing did for me was to allow me to reflect on our adoptions again. Our kids are just our kids. We don't make the adoption distinction near as much as other people probably do. Occasionally adoption comes up with the kids, but we mostly just live life as the Cole family, not the Cole family who adopted.
I just can't fully express to people how beautiful the miracle of adoption is. It is hard work and certainly weighs on a family to a degree (just with the time commitment and money it takes to get the child here), but I am hard pressed to think of many other things more worthy of our efforts. I 100% know that our little family is way better off with Anna, Gideon and Asher in our lives. And what a beautiful picture it paints of my adoption in Christ. Just a few days ago Madeline made a comment that Ryan and I weren't Anna and Gideon's "real" parents. Ouch, yes. I really don't believe she meant it badly, she loves Anna and Gee to pieces. Ryan, God love his soul, took the opportunity though to show Madeline (and Anna and Gee) the correlation between our family and the family of God. Madeline is a professing Christian, so Ryan asked her if she was a child of God. Madeline, almost defensively, said yes. Then Ryan asked her if God was her biological Father (yes, our kids to some extent know what that means), to which she said no. Ryan showed her how all Christians are adopted children of Christ. You could tell that it really made sense to her. I love that. I love how adoption does sometimes work into our daily lives and teaches all of us something from time to time!
Julie
Wow, Julie! Beautifully stated and written (and good way to put it, Ryan!). Makes me well up with joy for your family! Also makes me want to start that process for ours. :)
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