here’s the thing…..

so, we’ve got this great support group of friends and family who understand that our struggles with infertility have caused us a lot of pain.  who understand that, although adoption isn’t the route we’d always dreamed we’d take to build our family, it is a very hopeful and exciting and positive path for us to be on now.  whether or not we want them, we get comments like, “oh, it’s so great that you’re adopting–there are so many needy children out there!” from people who consider that to be a supportive statement.  we will have people praying for us throughout this process, lifting us up with their words and smiles of encouragement.

but what about the birthmother who chooses us?  she probably never dreamed, as she was growing up, that she’d be faced with the decision of having to entrust one of her children to strangers.  does anyone say to her, “it’s so great that your child will be adopted–there are so many needy  couples out there!”?  Does she have a great support group of friends and family who all understand that this will likely be the most difficult decision she’s ever had to make?  Will she have people praying for her, supporting and encouraging her decision?  I hope she has at least one strong cheerleader.  Well, I KNOW she’ll have two strong cheerleaders in us, but since we’re sort of biased, I hope that she’s got at least one friend or family member who will walk this path with her, will understand her pain, will support her decision.

Because, while I don’t know how I’d walk the path that we’re on without the support of our community, I know that if I were in her shoes, I’d need that kind of support even more.