Nothing has prepared us for parenthood as much as our adoption journey. Having to provide essays to questions such as: Why do you want a child? Why do you want to be a parent? How did you and your spouse arrive at the decision to adopt a child? If you could say anything to your waiting child and their birth parents, what would it be? How would you describe your childhood and how your parents parented you? How do you intend to parent/discipline your child? What are your strengths as an individual, and what are your weaknesses? What kind of parent do you hope to be? If your child decides they want to find their birth parents, what would you do or say?
No, folks, no license required to be a birth parent. But much proof required to be an adoptive parent -- financial, physical, emotional, psychological, (non) criminal, etc. in addition to blue book responses.
Once we learned I was pregnant, I read voraciously on the natural childbirth/birth process, how to become a baby whisperer, nurturing in the first year . . . I still have the pile of books stacked up in our spare room. None of our 16 months with N. has gone exactly as the books have said.
Nothing prepared us for parenthood as much as our adoption journey. The adoption journey with its highs, frustrations and meltdowns has definitely given us a lens through which to view parenthood. Even though our waiting child never came, we keep our hearts open to what the Universe has to offer.
As for our miracle daughter, she has taught us to accept possibility with grace and peace so that we might delight in our thoughts, in each other, and be renewed in Spirit.
My wish for you & yours -- May you pause and find that sacred corner in your heart, & may you be filled with Christmas all year round.
