We enjoy semi-open adoptions with all of our birth parents. It’s hard to have a typical open adoption experience when four of our birth parents live in a foreign country. We send updates and pictures every six months and hope to go back to Haiti for a visit someday. Gracie and Samuel have a half sister who lives in Oregon and we keep in close contact with her. Jeremiah’s birth mother and grandmother live in the same town we do and they requested updates and pictures every six months as well. At this time, they are not ready for visits but we hope at some point to meet Jeremiah’s biological half-sister who was born last year. We love and respect the biological families of our children. We feel like they are extended family. Very special extended family as they gave us the greatest gifts we could ever hope to receive in this life.
Our children came to us at the ages of 3, 4, and 6. Those are wonderful ages and they’re homecomings were magical to us. Yet, the fact remains, we missed out on the baby experience. We would love to be able to adopt a newborn domestically and marvel at each little milestone the baby reaches. Plus, our three kiddos REALLY want a baby and already argue over who gets to hold the baby first.
So what can we offer your child? Well, we don’t recite scripture, attend private schools, drive fancy cars, or speak softly. We do work hard, love unconditionally, forgive easily, and laugh at ourselves. James and I want our children to reach their full potential-whatever that means for each child individually. We want them to discover their talents. We want them to have morals and values and be productive members of society. We want them to be happy, feel loved and know that they were wanted before they were ever even born. We also want them to be compassionate, non-judgmental, loving individuals. (This world could use less judging and more compassion.) If we can achieve all that we will have succeeded in parenting. We’re definitely not perfect but we give it our best every single day.
I don’t know who you are or what you are going through. But I do know that you’ve been given a challenge, just like us, and I believe we can help one another. I also know that you are brave. You are full of love and courage. I know that because you are reading this and that means you are at least contemplating adoption. What lies ahead won’t be easy but as you think about what the future holds for you and your baby we hope you are given the peace, comfort, and strength you will need.
All our best to you!
Lila, James, Gracie, Samuel and Jeremiah