Blogging about life in Minnesota, raising our six kids with Down syndrome while battling Breast Cancer.

Be the kind of woman that when your feet hit the floor in the morning the devil says, "Oh shit! She's up!"

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

What can YOU do?



These TEENAGERS get it. They GET IT! THEY understand WHY!

Some of you are able to adopt. What makes you UNable? Money?  Don't let lack of funds stop you. Most of the family I know, including us, started their process with NOTHING to put towards the cost of their adoption. Every step of the way, God put the funds in our hands the day before, or sometimes they VERY day they were needed. I remember sitting in a parking lot with Dean, and him wondering, "HOW are we going to pay for this?" and because we still hadn't decided yet, "HOW can we afford to adopt two?" He didn't understand yet. He didn't understand what God does when you're walking where he tells you to go. He gets it now. DO YOU? Are you ready to step out in faith and DO IT?

There are also plenty of people who can't adopt for whatever reason. Dont feel like you can't do anything. There is plenty you can do! You can support a family who is trying to complete an adoption. Your support doesn't have to be monetary. You can offer childcare, or to care for pets while they travel to get their child. (for our family, it would cost almost $2000 just to board our pets while we travel! It's one of the many reasons Dean stayed home.) Offer to help with a fundraiser, or offer items to use for a fundraiser. There are just so many ways you can support a family who is adopting!

Support doesn't end when the child comes home. Offer a couple frozen meals for when they first come home (when everyone is exhausted and suffering jet lag!) Like parents of a newborn, Newly adoptive families are often isolated for a while as they work on bonding with their new child, before they're comfortable letting the child be cared for by a non-family member. You could offer to get together for an evening coffee or adult beverage. ;-)

There are so many things one can do.  Take a personal inventory. What can YOU do?

5 comments:

thedickinsonfamily said...

Your the real deal. Thanks for helping us with the Signing Time fundraiser for Masha. We still have so far to go. HE will provide the way. HE doesn't call the equipped, HE equips the called.

Melissa said...

This is what hurts my heart the most about not adopting. We have the money, we have the space and yet hubby is not on board. I know there are things I can still do, financially or otherwise, but I want to bring a baby home!

Kim said...

Leah, We would LOVE to adopt... in a couple years when our infant is, well, not an infant any more! But if you would like, I would LOVE if you would pray for us. We don't have the money or the space, currently, but I think in time we will. What stands in our way most is that we lack health insurance. To do foreign adoption the family has to have health insurance that will cover the child being brought home. So, we would covet any prayers that that whole health insurance thing would be worked out. We have tried for years to get this set up through our small business employer, to no avail. It is too expensive, so our children are on state sponsored insurance, my husband has Christian medical bill sharing, and I have nada because of my darn pre-existing conditions. God is not too small for this, but it really stresses me out. It's like the one piece of the puzzle that could screw everything up if we can't get it.

Natalie said...

Wow. Would you mind if I reposted this?

Natalie
martins-hope.blogspot.com

Leah Spring said...

Natalie, be my guest!