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The Bond Adoption Families Share…

There is a bond that adoption families share that is almost indescribable. The journey takes years for many–and during that time you not only connect with other families also in the process…you learn terms that you’d have to define and spend forever explaining to the rest of the world…

USCIS fingerprints, dossier (dah-see-aye), LID, referral, court, expired this–updated that. It’s not the lingo though that builds your bond…anyone can learn vocabulary–but it’s the knowing and having experienced each of the crazy hoops you had to jump through, the months of paperwork (only weeks for your future times around!) and feeling of accomplishment you have when you hear the word “finalized home study”. You completely understand the ache in the wait–and how you could completely be in love with a child you’ve never even met. It’s having walked through orphanages leaving only with the one/s you came for…yet your heart longs for every child to experience family–you have both felt the joy in having a new child through adoption yet the loss of everything that comes with it as well…and you’ve prayed through and will always pray through how to walk through that loss as your child grows and has questions. You know the difficulty of connecting to your new one once you are home–and then the joy of every sweet breakthrough as your relationship with your new child grows. You totally get what a BIG DEAL the unsolicited hugs and “I love you’s” are…and you celebrate together through phone calls, emails and listservs. You know the Mama Bear moments where someone pokes too much into your sweet one’s story–and you experience much of the same…in new ways…although you live in different places, your stories look completely different and you might never even meet in person.

Adoption mommas seem to connect this way or that–whether through their blogs, Facebook, conferences or retreats. And when I saw my Facebook friend Mary Leigh–an adoption momma of 2 littles from Korea–was coming to town…we began messaging back and forth on Facebook. (I have to laugh that there are so many of my kids friends who live right here–but we’ve never had them over for dinner…maybe because the only thing we have in common is our child being the same age–and other than that…we might not have much to talk about..and we’d have some awkward silence:). Although I’m totally entertained by awkward silence–it’s not how I love to spend a Friday night. BUT one thing is for sure–get 2 adoption families together and you never run out of things to have in common or things to talk about!) The men can make fun of the wives and how they need to stay off Rainbow Kids–and the women…well–we talk about everything from our last journeys, where our hearts are leaning next…and fried chicken:) It was SO FUN meeting the Brown family and I’m so thankful they shared some of their family trip with us!

Here’s Mary Leigh and me…a little snap shot while we cooked fried chicken (YUM!)

Tonight was our regular “Dinner with the Dentons” night–so they joined us too. We had 10 kids ages 8 and under…such fun. I told Richard that this is what our backyard COULD look like if he wanted to keep going;)…NOTICE that there is a game of soccer AND a 2 year old on a battery operated tractor. Having a reckless tractor in the middle of the game truly does add a layer of excitement…

This one seriously makes me laugh with Parker and Mary Leigh’s husband, Nick, playing some serious soccer with so many other things going on too…

This one is just thrown in as extra. Is he seriously not the cutest?!

The tractor pack…

Laney and the Brown’s teenage exchange student from China parked it inside playing pick-up sticks and such. Laney LOVES playing with big girls…they had such fun together!

Oh my–I’m just in love with this toothless grin!

THEN–we ended the night with s’mores. YUM. Seriously–I have no shame. I fixed my s’more first before sharing my stick with my children:) Hey–they always say to put your oxygen mask on first:)

Brown family–we absolutely LOVED our night with y’all and loved meeting y’all in real life! I can’t wait to see you in March at Created for Care…and so thankful for this fun time with our families! Your sweet boy made quite the impression on Rico Suave;).

NOW…I have IKEA cinnamon rolls to look forward to in the morning thanks to Mary Leigh:)

Y’all have a great weekend!!

Blessings!

Andrea

P.S. Rico Suave has been out of town ALL week!!! SO thankful to have him walk in the door tonight!!! It’s gonna be a GREAT weekend!

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Delana Stewart - September 29, 2012 - 2:33 pm

So true that adoptive families connect on so many levels! Will your adoption support groups/friends be doing anything special for Adoption month in November? http://nineyearpregnancy.wordpress.com/2012/07/25/doing-something-special/

Blessings,
Delana

Amy - September 30, 2012 - 5:28 pm

This post is so very true!!! I loved the comment about staying off Rainbow Kids 🙂

amy

Mary Leigh - October 1, 2012 - 9:52 pm

We had a blast. Thank you again for having us over. The fried chicken was awesome, I’m proud of you!!!