Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Restless

I've often heard other adoptive mama's say that adoption is one of the hardest things they have ever been through. I've never given birth to a biological child, so I don't know the pains that come with that. However I am very familiar with the pain that comes with adoption. I've heard people use the phrase that some people grow babies in their bellies and with adoption you grow them in your heart. A biological childbirth brings forth physical pain, and adoptive childbirth brings forth emotional pain. I'm not at all saying that having biological children is not emotional, because I've been around some of you while you've been preggo, and let me tell you.. Praise Jesus that baby has been born. :) I also can't imagine the emotional tole that it must take on someones body to have another human being inside of you. I have a hard enough time taking care of my own body.

Adoption is painful people! It hurts! The unknown makes it nearly impossible to bear, but the end result is totally worth it. I'm sure some of you reading this, who are in the process are totally rolling your eyes at this point.. i know, I've been there. I'm telling you though, since I've been through one adoption, I'm able to believe that there is an end in sight. However, it's still tough.

Some of you may know that Eric and I are choosing to adopt for the second time. This time we are a lot more open to age and the possibly of a sibling group. We are also choosing to adopt through the US Foster Care System. This is a whole other beast of it's own. You literally search the web and look at hundreds of pictures of kids and base your decisions mostly based off of their looks and their one paragraph write up. It's heartbreaking. Each child that I click on, I try to imagine myself being their mama and loving them the way that I love my sweet Mar. After you inquire about a child this is where it gets really tough. You literally sit and wait for the social worker to contact you. Sometimes they call, sometimes they don't. Being a social worker, I feel that I need to explain from their point of view. They are literally getting hundreds of home-studies, and their job is to choose the perfect family from that large stack. Hello, pressure!

Right now we are in the waiting stage. We have sent off probably 30 inquiries and heard back from about 5 social workers. We have no clue what time frame we are looking at.  All I can literally do is...wait.

If you are reading this I covet your prayers. We are so excited about the thought of adding onto our family through adoption. Please pray that I can sit back and chill and realize that God's got my back. He's my eyes, ears, hands, in completing this adoption. He has to be! There are too many things that could go wrong and too many opportunities for us to get looked over. So HE literally has to be in control.

"The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent" Exodus 14:14

2 comments:

MonicaHughston said...

Praying for you guys and the adoption process!! So excited for you

Laura Mayfield said...

Shelly! I just found your blog, and am really excited that you are writing!!! :) You are a beautiful writer, and this reminds me of all the conversations we used to have walking around campus through laughs and tears. I love you, and will be praying for you, Eric, Mar, and any future children that God brings into your life!!!!