We ARE family!

I have just heard about a new show on ABC following in the vibe of Extreme Home Makeover. It is called "Find My Family" and apparently, it follows adoptive children on their quest to find their "Real" family.
UGH!
The premise of this show makes me so sad!
I am the mother to four of the most incredible human beings and the wife to an incredible man. We ARE a REAL family. I AM my children's REAL mother.
How will this show impact the impression of families who are contemplating adoption? Will they think that no matter how much of a bond their adoptive children create with them, they will never be a family? Will they wonder if adoption is a viable option now?
And how about adopted children? Are my children going to think that they are part of a PLAN B for a family? Is the world and their community going to assume that they are not whole because they are not part of their REAL family?
Let me tell you... I can NOT even begin to imagine the struggle and pain and frustration that B-Man and Belly-ome's parents must have faced in order to make the decision to relinquish their children to a state run orphanage in Ethiopia. I will NEVER belittle the importance of my children's first family. I am definitely not one of those people who goes around saying that God intended us to be a family and that their first family was just a way for my children to enter this world. I feel that statement takes my children's first family and their anguish out of the equation. My faith, rather, tells me that we will have the potential to ALL be a part of the same family in Heaven. Biological family... Adoptive Family... all part of the plan.
But, I will never belittle the blessing of all of us being a family, either. Nate and I are the proud parents to four beautiful children. Two by birth and two through adoption. All four are MINE. And my love is REAL.
Don't belittle that ABC!

Things I Have Learned About Myself This Weekend...

Nate took me to San Fransisco yesterday. It was an incredible trip packed with Fisherman's Wharf, The African Diaspora Museum, the musical Wicked, and great food. All in one day.
Why only one day, you might ask?
The answer is simple...
I don't know how to be away from my kids.
I think that I am addicted to them.

Is that so bad?

Inspiration

I can't get "Katie" out of my mind.

Who is Katie, you might ask?

She is a 21 year old young woman who has decided to LIVE a truly Christ-like life.
She is, at this point, a mother to 14 and caretaker to over 400 in a small village in Uganda.
And she makes me want to do SOOOOO much more with my life than I have up to now.

Her blog is full of inspiration... like this thoughtful quote...

"People say to me often, "You are so lucky that you found your calling, that you know your purpose in life." This statement boggles my mind. I AM so blessed to live the life that I do. But it isn't rocket science. God did NOT part the sky and shout out to me, "Katie! Serve my people." I read it in His word. You can too. We can all see as plain as day that Jesus says the number one commandment is to love the Lord and love your neighbor. I happened to move to Uganda and love those neighbors, but that is not the point. As believers, we should already KNOW our calling; it is to love the Lord and love our neighbors by caring for them in whatever broken state they are in."

I have never met this woman, but I feel changed by her.

I am so incredibly and indescribably lucky and fortunate to have the life that I have.
Katie reminds me that with all of these things comes a responsibility.
A responsibility to love. And serve. And teach. And give.

If you are feeling the need or desire to be inspired, too, check out her blog.
It is www.kissesfromkatie.blogspot.com
You are welcome!:-)

My how times have changed!!!