Orphan Sunday

Tomorrow is Orphan Sunday. It's a day that holds a lot more meaning to me in the past two years than it did before.

Now, it's a fine line I walk between being an advocate for orphans, and being an adoptive mom. My daughter is not the "poster child" for adoption. Neither is she my "gold star" for "saving" her. One of the most awkward comments I receive now that Allison is home, and when we are out (especially as a five family and it is obvious that she is not biological) is "How wonderful of you." No one told us that when we got pregnant. Adoption was just a different way to grow our family. She forever is just another daughter in our family, though she came to us a different way.

But at the same time, I need to advocate for the children who are still without families. I know that many readers of my blog are adoptive parents themselves. But I also wonder if someone reading is like I was 2 or 5 or 20 years ago, when "Maybe I'll adopt someday" was just a small thought in the back of my mind. Adoption isn't for everyone (just like parenting isn't for everyone), but if you think that God might be leading your family down this road, may I ask, "What's stopping you?"

And whether you are reading this today, or whether you stumble upon this post years from now, my life and story are an open book. And my passion is for children to be raised in loving homes. And I will always openly and honestly answer any questions you have and talk to you about adoption to help you decide if adoption is right for your family.


Why Love Orphans? from Christian Alliance for Orphans on Vimeo.

PS-To read more about the dance between orphan advocate and parent of an adopted child, you can read the blogs of The Road Less Traveled and Rage Against the Minivan. Both are moms with a passion for adoption and for their children and recently wrote about this subject over a series of posts, but you can start here (if you have a few minutes or a few days to get lost reading what they write). :)