As with most things, I came to adoption in an unconventional way. Most folks decide that they would like to adopt … do the mountain of paperwork … get the approved homestudy …get a referral … then are matched with the child who will most likely become their own.

Not so with me. Though we talked about adoption forever, it wasn’t until I sat in front of my computer, just as I am now, tooling around reading posts from some of my e-mail discussion loops. Usually, I will just scan the e-mail headers in the digest version, and even at that, I don’t read each list each day. Providentially, on this particular day, I decided to read one of my lists … a list completely unrelated to adoption, mind you! A sibling pair had been in a foster care situation for over a year without a single inquiry, and they were trying to find a bi-racial family who might be interested in the children. Someone took it upon themselves to post the notice on all her lists, and I “just happened” to see it (Not! I’m certain it was God’s plan all along!).

It was only after reading about these particular children and hurriedly sending the post to my hubby, that we committed the matter to prayer. Since it was after hours in the time zone the social worker in charge of the case was located in, I had to wait to the next day. Weird coinky-dink number one: she had graduated from the same Christian university as my first cousin! After sending me a more detailed e-mail description of the circumstances involving the children, I then consulted my husband once again. Undeterred, we decided to pray more and proceed on. We obtained pictures the next day and that sealed the deal. I can tell you without bias (yeah, okay, a lot of bias!) that they are absolutely beautiful children, and it is uncanny how much they resemble all of us!

So we first fell in love with the idea of adoption. We then fell in love with the idea of adopting these children. Then, through the slow unfolding of events, we became acquainted with their foster parents (whom we also love!). Pretty soon, we were talking to our future children on the phone. We began exchanging pictures and letters, too. They began asking their foster parents to include us when sending pictures of holidays and special events. They sent us valentines for Valentine’s Day. And now, it’s full-blown love for these children!

We have approximately six weeks, Lord willing, before the adoption is finalized. We’re in the home stretch and the reality of sharing our lives with them and, they with us, is finally beginning to sink in. It’s no longer just being in love with the idea of adoption, or even just adopting these kids. They are our children. They whoop with joy when they hear it’s us on the phone. They ask to speak with each one of us. They say, “mine” when talking about us! And all this before they even know we’re the ones adopting them! The plan is for them to be told within the next couple of weeks, and we are on pins and needles to know how they will react. We’re pretty sure from all their cues we’ve read so far that they will welcome the idea, but it’s still nerve-wrecking!

I’m in love with creating not only their rooms, but a home for them … filled with love! I’m eagerly anticipating their arrival, and am in love with thinking about how it will be!

I’m in love … and it feels great!