Adoption is the new "black"

At first hearing this, it took me a second to figure out that it meant that adoption is the new trend. Apparently this was printed on a t-shirt and a lot of the adoption chat-boards are boycotting it. I'm guessing this is in reference to my good friends, Brad and Angelina and Madonna. It's interesting to think through this. Do they make it look rather easy? Sure. It's actually somewhat touchy for some of those in the real adoption world, especially if you've had a hard time. Does that mean that more people have been and will be looking into the possibilities? Maybe. Celebrities aside, does it just mean that society is more open to families that all look different but have the same name? I hope so.

Here's a fear of mine that has occurred to me now and then throughout our journey. I pray that our "troubled adoption" wouldn't scare people away from considering it for themselves. I know that if it's on people's heart, that if it's the right thing to do for them, that they would act on that. I know there's a crowd of you out there that have said, "one day..." and that's the group that I hope hears our story and says, " 'one day’ should be sooner rather than later", not, "turn and run so we don't have to be like the Mohr's!"

So, I guess this is a call to adoption. While Russ and I will eventually fill our house, we can't take them all. I know each person needs to come to his or her own conclusion and it needs to be the right timing. Our adoption information packets sat in the guest room closet for years before we acted on it. Looking back now, we realize the timing was perfect so that we could have Eliot. But even if there's one person who's felt "the nudge" but dismissed it, I implore them to take a second look. This experience is like nothing in the world. (I don't mean the whole leaving my life for 7 months, I mean adopting a child into our family).

Not everyone has to pick up and move to a foreign country in order to make things happen, by the way. The majority of Guatemalan adoptions still take 6-8 months total, not 4 million like ours! Not to mention the majority of families adopting from here are what we fosterers call "scoopers" who literally make a 3-5 day trip and scoop up their little buddle and start life together in the states. But seriously, I can't tell you how amazing this experience is. Not just because Eliot is stinkin' cute, but because God created our family and searched the world over to find the perfect fit. Trust me, this kid is a Mohr through and through, just wait until you meet him.

Orphans are so close to the Lord's heart. Whether they come from foster care or an orphanage, by definition, they need a family. For us the hesitation was ALWAYS about money. Does that mean we suddenly came into some Benji's and started the process? No, but we felt the Lord say it was time and that He would provide. As far as I know, they haven't repossessed the house quite yet... If the mental conversation for you starts with, "I would love to do that someday!" and ends with, "but it's just so expensive" then stop yourself and imagine the Lord's endless storehouses of money. If only you would say yes, the Lord would have a chance to honor that. Trust me, if you look at the numbers for the Mohr's you'd probably wonder how we ever thought we could swing this, but it's been taken care of. I'm not preaching a prosperity gospel here, please don't hear that message. I'm just asking you to think about your role in taking care of the orphans. Adopting isn't for everyone, I know, but there's ways you can support those that can adopt (I don't mean just us, I mean the foundations that provide financial assistance or orphanages, etc. ) Please also don't read this as "look at us, we're so holy and righteous..." although I can't seem to get rid of this halo that showed up once I got here. =)

Thousands of Guatemalan children become someone's child and become part of a "forever family" each year. I don't know any stats for the other countries or for domestic adoptions but it's time. It's time for adoption to become the new "black" for more than just Hollywood.