Worth It All


Yesterday, March 28, was the day, three years ago, on which we decided to begin our adoption journey.

As I pondered that day, I thought about how excited we were as we begun the process. Looking back now, I would call it the “honeymoon” stage. At the time, I had no idea that we would go through eight long and tough months of gathering all of the required information, going through the required interviews, surviving insensitive comments people would make, etc. Then, after our dossier had been in Nepal for another eight long and tough months, I had no idea that the US would close the doors to Nepal. August 6, 2010. It took us seven months to recover from this “adoption miscarriage”—and it was for a child we never even saw or met. We began our China adoption journey on March 21, 2011. Nine months later, on Dec. 1, 2011, our completed dossier was logged in at the China Center of Adoption Affairs. And on Dec. 20, 2011, we received the call of a lifetime. Now, literally 100 days later, we are awaiting the call to go get our precious daughter.

Many of us in the adoption community talk about how hard it is to adopt. And it’s true. The hoops you have to jump through; the paperwork you have to complete; the incredible amount of money it costs; the volumes of books you need to read; the waiting you have to endure; and for some of us, the years of infertility prior to this process—all of this is extremely difficult, and unless you’ve been through the process, you really have no idea what it’s like.

But what we don’t talk very much about (at least while we’re in the middle of the process) is the anticipation and joy that is welling up inside of us. The joy that we’re following a dream. The joy that we’ll get to be parents to a child who was once an orphan. The joy that we’ll get to go to another country, be handed a child who was rescued from the side of a street, knowing that it was our arms that ultimately rescued her. Yes, it cost us a lot of tears; yes, it cost us a lot of time; yes, it cost us a lot of money. But what would it have cost HER if we had not followed our dream? The cost would have been far, far greater.

For you, my dear sweet daughter, I would do it over, and over, and over, again. And over again. You are worth living a dream that required much; you are worth all of the time and effort spent—and far more. There is no actual worth we can put on you that would suffice, except the worth of the blood of a Son who came to defend the cry of the fatherless, your cry.  Soon, your cry will be comforted by laying your head on the hearts of two people that knew you were worth it all.


6 comments:

  1. Tears streaming down my face!! How eloquently you've captured ALL of it! I'm so excited for you Heather!!! Praying you will get your TA VERY SOON !! <3

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  2. We love you both so much!

    Mom and Dad

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  3. Oh, this post said it all! I still can't believe we've made it through it all - Nepal and now getting so close to China. On Tuesday our NVC Letter will be delivered to the Consulate. Then the Article 5 wait begins. Have you joined the Facebook DTC Winter Group? I LOVE it! People who are in the same boat as us. Look for me on FB so I can invite you! Brooke Collins

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  4. Thank you so much for writing and introducing yourself. Your new daughter is beautiful beyond words. I scrolled down to see her pictures a few posts back...and got all teary-eyed. The beauty of adoption is beyond description. Rejoicing in Phoenix with you! And by the way, from one pastor's wife {although retired from 20+ years of senior pastoring, we still consider ourselves pastors because its a lifestyle more than a job, as you well know!} I pray that God blesses your ministry abundantly and that you always remember: you sing and dance for the audience of ONE. xo

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  5. This is beautifully written and so very true. These precious children are absolutely worth it all!!! Your daughter is beautiful!

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  6. I read this in Mom's office. (She had tried to post a comment and couldn't get it to work at home, so I was helping her. :) It really choked me up. So very sweet and so heartfelt--just so beautiful! I love you Heather and am so very very happy for you, Andrew and Abi Mei! We are all so excited to meet her!

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