Five years…

Five years ago today our party of five grew to seven.  On August 28, 2010 we gained two precious little hearts longing for a forever home.  We had absolutely no idea what our journey would look like and went blindly into a larger family overnight.  Thankfully our youngest were pulled into foster care from a home not able to care for them.  Our family, in another state, had fostered them for almost three years, giving in a big way, when they were cleared for adoption. Our crew had a meeting and agreed we should work to adopt them into our family versus them going back into foster care.  Miraculously we were allowed to bring them home in three short months.  They were adopted that same year only days before Christmas. What a gift!

Today marks a huge milestone for our family.  Our oldest child born from our heart has now been a part of our family and lived here, longer than anywhere else.  As an adoptive Mama, I am thankful God chose me to be in their lives.  We had never thought of adoption.  It was not in our plans, but God placed two children in our lives unexpectedly.  As quickly as children enter into your life, so also may they depart.  This day is about our family’s blessings, yet also remembering our youngest children’s losses.

It has been said that adoption is a trauma, where one is expected to be grateful and appreciative.  They lost the people that brought them into this world, no matter the situation. They may have questions that will never be answered.  Why couldn’t they care for them? What would their lives be like if they were still there?  They worry about their birth parents.  Are they okay?  As a mother that has lost a child, I can truly imagine that the loss of two children is excruciating pain, under any circumstance.

Today we celebrate how our family had become one strand these past five years.  I am sad for losses but also thankful for blessings!  Never in a million years did I think I would outlive one of our children.  I think of how we gained two and how one left us here so early.  How God placed these children in our lives long enough for them to love our first born son beyond any written words.  How he loved them back.  How far they have come in trust, courage and love with our entire family.  How adoption molded our family, and how our oldest wrote sincerely about this very thing, only days before he left us.  I leave this last part of thankfulness on a “Family” day to Connor’s wise words written only one short year ago…

“Our two youngest siblings adoption was life changing. It called for a lot of integrity and played a role in my character development. It was challenging adding two new people into our tightly knit family. As the oldest of five, there are always young eyes looking to me for guidance. This opportunity taught me things I would not otherwise have known. Seeing the effects of neglect and abuse and the subsequent post-traumatic stress, caused by their past, has changed my life. The trauma they underwent caused regression; trust issues, and health issues. They brought me to a realization of how blessed my life has been and how much a family can love.”

Make today count!

Much love, peace and blessings!  MamaC

The photo above is one of my favorites taken October 20th, 2013 during our pumpkin quest we take each year.  True happiness!