Recently I took both of my kids to get their flu shots. My daughter volunteered to go first, but as soon as the alcohol wipe touched her skin, she started screaming and writhing in my arms. I tried to tell her it would be ok. I even got my flu shot first to show her… Read More Entrusting Your Dream One Day At a Time
On the eve of my 40th birthday, my husband surprised me with a kid-free trip to San Diego for a few days. Our only plans were to sit by the beach and read as many books as we could. We were eager to live without an agenda for a few days. Once we were in… Read More Remembering God’s Faithfulness
When we were adopting our son, we had three baby showers prior to his arrival. After we already had them scheduled, I discovered that our adoption agency discouraged baby showers before the birthmom terminated her rights. They felt that, if the match fell through, having to return the baby shower gifts would be too painful… Read More Adoption: What I Wish I Knew Before We Adopted Part Two
I remember anxiously sitting in a domestic adoption informational meeting with my husband and other potential adoptive parents. I felt hopeful at the start of the meeting, but as the speakers started to list the necessary requirements, fear crept in. The counselors emphasized the sacrifice birthmoms must make and the common tendency for them to… Read More Adoption: What I Wish I knew Before We Adopted Part 1
I remember watching his tiny head emerge into the world followed shortly by his shoulders and the rest of his body. His birthmom chose me to cut the umbilical cord, and I remember nervously holding the scissors, afraid I would cause more pain. But after a clean cut, the nurses quickly whisked him away to… Read More Adoption: Joy Intertwined with Sorrow
As I carried my newborn son down the elevator of the hospital, my heart filled with awe that this day had finally come. After a four-year wait, we were going to be parents for the first time. I stood in the lobby of a Detroit suburban hospital holding my son while my husband pulled the… Read More Adoption: Redemption from shame
When I was a little girl, I dreamed of marrying and having a family by the time I was 30. We would have a set of twin boys and another boy shortly after. Their names would all start with the letter “t” (though I’m not sure why). I envisioned myself with a large, pregnant belly,… Read More Adoption: A lesson in trust