Accidental Adoption??

I just found this posted on another blog in blogland and I absolutely had to share it with you, in case you haven't read it before. This is the first time I've seen this and it is SOOO true and a bit hilarious if you've actually been through the adoption process before!

Adoption by Accident
Author: Unknown

Have you ever noticed that you hear all the time about "accidental" pregnancies, but never about couples who experience "accidental" adoptions? Can you imagine:

- --Honey, sit down. I have some news for you.
- --What is it?
- --Well, I don't know how to say this, so I'll just come out with it. I went out to the mailbox today and ... well, we got an I-171H.
- --A what?!? An I-171H? As in, we're going to have another baby?!?
- --It looks that way.
- --But how? We've been so careful! I put away all the blank I-600A forms. Didn't you hide our homestudy update?
- --Of course I did. But don't forget, there was that one night ...
- --What night? (Pauses) Oh, that night. But it was only once. We were just messing around. I didn't print clearly. I didn't even use ink! (Pauses again) But it was kind of fun.
- --(Giggles) it was, wasn't it? I'll never forget how cute you looked getting your fingerprints.
- --So now we've got our I-171H, eh? But that doesn't always mean you'll adopt, does it? I mean, shouldn't you see the agency or something, make sure everything's okay?
- --I already did.
- --And?
- --I'm five documents along.
- --Five documents! And they're all notarized, certified and authenticated okay?
- --Just great. There was one small scare when the agency couldn't see the notary's middle initial, but it showed up just fine under the magnifying glass.
- --Thank God. And you honey? Are you feeling okay?
- --I'm feeling fine. As long as I know you're happy about this.
- --Happy? I'm thrilled! It's always a shock at first when something like this happens, but of course I'm happy!

This little dialogue actually prompted me to reflect on the realities (no matter how unfair or difficult they may be) that many of us experience as adoptive families. I don't think I've talked much about this topic before...so here it goes...

I really started to think about the things I experienced with my pregnancy and with our adoption. When we announced that we were pregnant with our first child, everyone was thrilled and they never once questioned what we were doing or why or whether it was God's will for our family. In sharp contrast, when we announced that we were expecting again, only this time through an international adoption from Guatemala, we were faced with many questions, a lot of concern, doubt and opposition. This was not true of all of our family members or friends, but truthfully, we were very hurt and a bit shocked by the reactions of some of the people closest to us. The thing that was most difficult to accept was the fact that these reactions came from fellow Christians. When you are adopting, you hope that everyone will understand that adoption is the heart of God and that He is the one who has called your family to pursue adoption, but the truth is, not everyone does understand. They don't get why you would devote so much time, energy and money into adopting a child, when "you can have another one of your own." That statement has always bothered me, because I really do consider both of my children my own and it doesn't matter that one was born under my heart and one was born in it!!

I think many people are much more accepting when a couple announces an unexpected pregnancy, yet they are much less willing to accept, understand or rejoice in the announcement of an upcoming adoption. In some ways it would be awesome if adoption really did happen by accident! I think so many more children would find families if suddenly a couple discovered they were "5 documents along" and everything was already planned out ahead of them. It is so easy to turn your back on God's calling to pursue adoption...to convince yourself that it isn't really God who is asking you to take that next step...to just go on with your life the way that it is...comfortable, relatively predictable, and safe. Adoption is not safe, it is not predictable and it may not be comfortable, but if you have ever wondered if adoption is in God's will for you or your family...the answer is most likely yes! If God has placed adoption on your heart and you feel He is calling you to adopt, then go for it! You will be blessed and you will grow closer to God, if you allow Him to guide you on your adoption journey and if you trust that His plan is best!

Now that we have completed our first adoption, I am able to see how far God has brought our family through this experience. I know that I have changed as a person and we have changed as a family because of our willingness to step forward in faith and bring one of God's children into our family. I know that God is pleased with our decision to follow Him in this area of our life and I am truly thankful for everything He has taught us (more specifically, me) along the way. I love that our family "looks" different because we do stand out in a crowd and it has opened up many conversations with strangers and it has given us the opportunity to share about Jesus, simply through sharing our adoption story. We don't expect that life will always be easy or that it will be perfect, but God never promised that it would be!!

Well, those are my thoughts for now...until next time!