Ever since I was young, adoption was something that grabbed my attention. I did not always know if I would personally be able to adopt a child or not, but I knew that caring for children in need of a family was necessary. Years later, when my husband and I started discussing adding children to our family, adoption for me was at the top of the list. We considered adopting a child before having children biologically. Then, to our surprise, we found out that we were expecting ou

Scott and I walked up to the front door with our newborn baby fast asleep in the car seat. I was a brand new mom in need of a babysitter for my impending return to the workforce. Char opened the door to her house and invited us in. We sat at her kitchen table and a love for kids radiated from her. I knew in an instant that’s where I wanted my daughter to spend her days while I was at work. I didn’t know it that day but a seed was being planted. Immediately after Char agreed t

If you ask Brielle where she’s from, she’ll excitedly shout… “Wuhan!” When you ask her where Wuhan is, she’ll even more excitedly shout… “China!” She even loves to tell people her Chinese name. I love this about her. I love that she loves China and knows that’s where she was born. I know it’s healthy for her to learn tidbits about her past naturally as she grows so that there isn’t a shocking adoption reveal in her lifetime. I also know that hard questions are coming. Questio

I walked up to the café counter at the newly renovated Lifeway store in Brentwood, TN and ordered a pumpkin-flavored latte. It was nearing the end of October and I had yet to drink anything with pumpkin in it. (Gasp, I know!) Brielle was with me while her siblings were at Bible Quizzing at our church. I had been dying to pick up a copy of Annie F. Downs’ new book Remember God. With my new book in hand, I placed my coffee order and Brielle began to count the tile on the wall i

I currently have eight unfinished blog posts about adoption, faith, and motherhood in a file on my computer. (Let's not even discuss my unedited book.) Eight! I could share two or three of them with you right now, but there's something that makes me pause sometimes when I am writing and sharing my heart with you. I always want my writing to be helpful and point you towards Jesus. That can mean not sharing until it is helpful. Sometimes we can wrestle through it together, but

Adoption doesn’t happen without loss, and there are certain times throughout the year when that reality smacks me right in the face. May is