2. I love it that she has welcomed us into her family instead of wanting a closed adoption or a semi-open one where we just send her pictures and letters. The relationship is fading right now, but I think that it'll pick up soon, and even if it doesn't, I'll always treasure the times that we spent together, esp. during her pregnancy with Michelle.
3. I love it that she shared all the little things that Steven has in common with his birth family. Steven LOVES cheese, and Auntie craved it during her pregnancy with him. She couldn't get enough of it and neither can he. Steven gets his little pointy ears from his birthfather. I love it that she and Steven both love Lucky Charms cereal. I love that Steven is a junior after his birthfather (the main reason we kept his name). We never wanted a Mark Jr., but I love that we have a Steven Jr! I love that Steven looks identical to his full brother that she calles June-June because he was supposed to be Steven Jr but isn't. I love that she thinks he will be a football player even though he won't be :)
4. I love it that she thinks that Michelle looks like her even though she can't identify any features that they have in common.
5. I love it that she once said that Steven looks like us even though he doesn't :)
6. I love it that I have met their extended birth family--grandma, aunts and uncle, cousins, siblings, etc. I love it that they have all welcomed me with open arms and loved me for raising their birth babies.
7. I love it that Auntie E requested us to be Michelle's parents and wanted us to be involved in her pregnancy. I love it that she trusts us and loves us enough to give us one of the greatest gifts possible.
8. I love it that she referred to Michelle as our baby even before she was born.
9. I love it that she loves our entire family as her own.
10. And most of all, I love it that Auntie E chose life for both Steven and Michelle, even though Auntie E knew that she would not be the one to raise them. We discussed abortion one time when we were at the hospital waiting for our turn to get an ultrasound, and she said that she had seen a video on what happens to a baby when they abort him/her and that she could never kill one of her babies. So many people would have just gotten an abortion (or told her to get one), but she chose to go through with the pregnance because she already loved them too much to just kill them. I love that!
Bonus #11: I love it that we can be Christ to their birth family and show them God's love!
Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. (James 1:27)
3 comments:
This is incredible! I love this list. Some of the things on here I want so badly...that you've been able to meet so much of their extended family. I love it! What a wonderful gift! Isn't it amazing when birth mothers are selfless enough to choose placement and even then continue to give more in an open relationship???
Thank you for being another example of how beautiful adoption can be and how we can be Christ and fulfill his command of taking care of widows and orphans.
Molly
i love all of that for you! great post and thanks for sharing!
What a great post Rebekah! God is so gracious and full of mercy. I rejoice for the family He is building you all into.
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