Mother's Day. The day that used to make me cry. The day I used to dread because it reminded me of what I wasn't. I thought those days were over when I flew home three years ago on Mother's day with Michael and Liliana. Don't get me wrong, I love being pampered all day. I love getting breakfast in bed, cute little cards from the kids, my favorite meals cooked by Matt, back rubs, and other sweet little gifts. I love that I am finally a Mom and have the four most precious children in the world. But, when I look at my children and praise God that He picked them for our family, I also feel grief for their sweet Mommy's that had to give them up.
Since meeting the twins' birth mom in October, our hearts have been broken over the great sacrifice made by the birth moms of our children. We absolutely love adoption and love that through adoption we became parents. But, we hate the reason our children and so many like them had to be adopted. How horrible that these moms have to give their beloved children up for adoption because of external circumstances that are totally and completely out of their control. Poverty, malnutrition, disease, lack of clean water, lack of good medical care. These are the things taking the lives of parents all over Ethiopia (and elsewhere) and forcing moms and dads to give up their precious children for adoption. Children that should be growing up in the culture God designed them to live and thrive in. Instead, they are growing up with us through adoption. Which, of course, we are eternally grateful for, but it is still heartbreaking.
We love our children so much and wouldn't trade them for the world. We are grateful for the unique opportunity to raise them, teach them, care for them. And we are eternally grateful for the women who made the ultimate sacrifice to give them a better life. Mother's day will always be bittersweet for me because it's a day to celebrate being a Mom of such wonderful children. But it is also a day to remember the beautiful, amazing, selfless women who made me a Mom.
Since meeting the twins' birth mom in October, our hearts have been broken over the great sacrifice made by the birth moms of our children. We absolutely love adoption and love that through adoption we became parents. But, we hate the reason our children and so many like them had to be adopted. How horrible that these moms have to give their beloved children up for adoption because of external circumstances that are totally and completely out of their control. Poverty, malnutrition, disease, lack of clean water, lack of good medical care. These are the things taking the lives of parents all over Ethiopia (and elsewhere) and forcing moms and dads to give up their precious children for adoption. Children that should be growing up in the culture God designed them to live and thrive in. Instead, they are growing up with us through adoption. Which, of course, we are eternally grateful for, but it is still heartbreaking.
We love our children so much and wouldn't trade them for the world. We are grateful for the unique opportunity to raise them, teach them, care for them. And we are eternally grateful for the women who made the ultimate sacrifice to give them a better life. Mother's day will always be bittersweet for me because it's a day to celebrate being a Mom of such wonderful children. But it is also a day to remember the beautiful, amazing, selfless women who made me a Mom.
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