Where?

I am avoiding my homework, so what better to do than answer the question "where"?

There are many places in the world to adopt from. I have always assumed and imagined that we would adopt from Russia. Josh understood my connection with Russia but felt a pull towards Africa if we were not able to adopt from Russia. So we have opened ourselves up to both Russia and Ethiopia.

If you know me you know my connection with Russia. I spent a year there when I was 14 and it was probably the most impacting year of my life. Now my parents live there full time. And while you might not know it by listening, I did actually study Russian for 3 years in college. But due to some recent events Russia has become more and more difficult to adopt from. At the moment it is still possible but more difficult means more hoops to jump through and more money. So the Lord will lead us. I am sure that where one door closes another will open. We would be delighted no matter what country we adopt from.

Now I have heard some people say that they don't understand why a person would adopt from another country and that we should "take care of our own" and adopt from the US first. (Yes, I have actually heard this first hand before.) To that my responce is "then go for it". But if a person thinks that we are wrong for adopting internationally I have to point out that ALL human beings are made by and in the image of our amazing God and creator. I don't believe that God sees political lines on the globe that he created. (ok, yes, he is an all knowing God so he knows they are there, but he didn't draw them) I believe that EVERY child deserves a home. A loving home.

I have told my sister-in-law before that if anything ever happened to her and her husband that Josh and I would take their kids in a heartbeat. And if they had selected someone else in their will to take their kids we would support that couple completely and continue to look out for them. I have told her that we as a family would fight to support and protect their kids. I often wish we were even closer than we are to our nieces and nephew. I hope they will always know us as people that are there for them. Every child should have their own mini-army of protectors. For whatever reason our kids won't have through biological connections but they will find that in our family. It will just take a little longer bumpier road to get there.

So we will travel the world to find our kids. Russia, Ethiopia, or perhaps a place we haven't even thought of yet. I actually had a dream a few months back where I was holding an infant saying "are YOU my baby?" as if I expected him to reply. The next night I had a dream where I passed by a crib with the same baby in it. I did a double take and then picked him up saying "you ARE my baby". :) I guess its on my mind. Please pray that God will help us find our children.