chilemom

Heather ... how exciting ... I will be even more anxiously following your journey!

I would add that (at least in our experience) sometimes the reservations that our close family members have, spring from concern over our welfare - perhaps like the question Heidi's dad asks when she visits Gabe's birthmom. The people who love us don't want to see us hurt, and not having had the privilege of being educated about transracial adoption and/or open adoption, they can only draw on the stories they have heard (and we all know that the bad stories are more publicized than the good ones!) I remember as a teenager asking my dad about dating or marrying transracially. His response was that he would not be opposed (he cared far more about the condition of my future husband's heart than the color of his skin, and rightly so!) but he would want me to be fully aware of the issues we would face. Because my dad loved me, he wouldn't want me to be blindsided later - and I loved and respected him for it.

Payton is beautiful ... Congratulations to the newest family!

I know that my parents never envisioned having a black grandchild. I know that my grandmother, raised in West Virginia, never expected a black great-grandchild. I also know that my Mexican father-in-law never, NEVER imagined having a black grandchild! I am sure that each of these family members had reservations about our adopting transracially. But let me say that a child can change EVERYTHING. My son brings a smile and laughter to my father-in-law just because of who my son IS - his personality, his craziness - and not because of the color his skin is (or is not.) We all fear the unknown to a certain extent - but when that unknown become known, becomes a child grafted into our family tree, becomes a baby sleeping in our arms, a toddler giving us wildflowers from his grubby little hands, or a pre-schooler wrapping her arms around our neck in a tight hug ... believe me, a child is a miracle maker.

Adding a Happy 25th Anniversary wish to Karen and George ... What a wonderful reason to celebrate ...

It is a beautiful song ... so true and so very humbling: You took the fall and thought of me Above all Thank you, Jesus!

Brian and Gail, What a beautiful way to start the New Year ... Blessings to you, your beautiful daughter, and her special birthfamily!

Wonderful story about a single mom, her Chinese daughter, and their efforts to raise money for another addition to their family: She's all business toward adoption

Welcome to the world, little Sydney ... and many blessings to those who love you best!

Que bendicion ...

What wonderful, wonderful news ...

I was thinking of Nick and Sarah and their little Dulce Elise the other day, wondering if they have been able to make it home yet? I am hoping they will be able to celebrate this special first Christmas in their very own home among the people they love ...

What a special and heartwarming story ...

Yes, exactly. I was talking to Pedro about this and he pointed out that nowhere does the Bible teach that this was about Moses turning his back on his birthfamily but rather his rejecting the "pleasures of Egypt" (a very sinful, hedonistic society at the time) in order to pursue GOD: Hebrews 11:24-26 (NIV) By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh's daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward.