April is Rathjen Adoption Month!

April is a special month for us.  All three of our adopted children's adoption anniversaries are in April.  I still remember when our agency called us with our Travel Approval for the twins.  I can only describe it as an extra long pregnancy finally coming to an end, and you now know the date you will hold your precious child/ren.  But there is one, BIG difference.  Your babies are not in a safe, warm environment, getting everything they need, connected to you.  It's often times, quite the opposite.  They are in desperate need of you, their mother, caregiver, provider.  Things moved quickly, six plane tickets were purchased to leave for China, eight were bought to come back home.  My days and nights were spent packing, re-packing and trying not to get overwhelmed and emotional.  My dream was coming true...

The hallways filling with cribs, preparing for the babies, soon to come...

Tyler carried Ivor off the bus and into the hotel.

Nana carried Trigg.

Mama, inspecting her babies for the first time

Daddy holds Trigg for his medical exam...all part of the process

We don't all grow up dreaming of adopting, I realize that.  But if it has ever been a dream of yours, and if you feel that fire, don't waist another day and explore the possibility.  We are made for relationship, and there are many children living in this world with none.  Not everybody can be in these relational spaces (trauma child/adoptive parent) in the right way, so by no means am I suggesting everyone adopt.  However, if you are being called to it, and you're ignoring it, stop.  And keep in mind, we are all called to serve the orphan in one way or another.  Explore that too.

Adopting our youngest daughter was quite different.  She became our foster daughter a year and a half before she became our legal daughter, but all along, she was a daughter, a daughter to a King who loves her and now we have the gift of loving her too.

Emmy Jane getting kisses from her brothers and sister

born to ride

I find myself sifting through photos and with each photo I am reminded of the intense feeling that moment brought.  I am forever changed and eternally grateful God has used me in this way.

How does He want to use you?