I met my hero last night. OK, I guess I can't say that I "met" in that we didn't actually have a conversation, exchange names and phone numbers, and become BFFs. But I met her nonetheless. And I want to grow up to be her. This is much bigger than my desire to grow up and be Audrey Hepburn one day, so yeah, this is big.
We went to an Orientation meeting for CYFD. This is basically where they tell you what fostering and adopting in the state is like; good, bad, and ugly. The director lady spoke first, and I started crying within 10 minutes. Then a social worker, who works on the adoption side of things, spoke. I loved that she said that she doesn't look for a kid for your family, she looks for a family for her kids. LOVE. Then there was my hero.
This lady came to the meeting with 10 kids. She opened by saying that the social worker is about to facilitate her 181st adoption because they are about to adopt their 2 year old. Then she laughed and said her oldest child is 31, "so pray for me." She and her husband have 3 bio kids, 4 adopted kids, and about to have one more. And they have countless kids who have come in and out of their home through the foster system that you can tell are still part of her heart. She said that she doesn't say "these are my bio kids, these are my adopted kids, and these are my foster kids." And she doesn't answer questions. She just says "these are my kids, and I love them. Aren't they cute?"
We got in the car, and I told J I want to grow up and be her. His response? "Yeah, me too."
So why did our hearts go to Thailand when we got serious about adoption, and now they are looking at our own city? NO IDEA. Why did we say there's no way we could foster, and now it's a definite possibility? NO IDEA. Why did I ask for information about Thailand adoption from an international agency and they sent a whole packet without the specific information I asked for? NO IDEA.
Actually, I do have an idea to all of those. Because God is. He is sovereign, faithful, merciful, good, just, and holy. And because he wants us to be too. I don't know what that all means, but I know it's because God is.
We were lost children who were found by him, and now he is calling us to find lost children. And with much joy, and fear, and excitement, and worry, I say yes please.
