Because our kids (especially our big boys) are getting to the age where they want to be a bit more private about their stories, I've gotten away from sharing much about our "adoptive life" on the blog. 

HOWEVER...Last week I sent out a survey asking you all to tell me what you love, don't love, and what you want to see more of and many of you really wanted a peek into our life as a big, crazy, loud, goofy, family that is full of ups-and-downs.

Tomorrow I will open up a Q+A about anything and everything adoption related.

In the meantime, here are a bunch of posts and articles I've written through the years. Maybe it'll get you thinking about some questions you'd like to ask!

(Don't write them here...wait for the post tomorrow)

Admittedly, there is a large amount of trauma in the hearts of our kids along with hurt, abandonment, and abuse.

But there's also A LOT of healing and by the grace of God, we're in a very good season.

(BTW Have you taken the survey yet? If not, here it is below!)

You can certainly search the blog under "adoption" for lots of posts through the years. For example:

A journal entry the day we met Imani, Ezekiel's story, Meeting Abreham, introducing Elsabet, how life isn't always peachy, learning to trust a new family.

Some of these posts are obviously old. You can tell in some how I was early on in my blogging adventure and learning to take (and share) pretty photos. But the content itself is good.

Here's a post on Anton (four-years-old at the time) and what his thoughts were on adoption.

And how Mother's Day is sometimes more pain-filled than happy.

People are funny (and not so funny) when they share their reasoning as to why they're not adopting. Often I think to myself "REALLY?! That's your reasoning?! C'mon people."

That being said though, I certainly do not think that everyone is called to adopt. If you're not, there are certainly other ways to help orphans and make a HUGE impact!!

The truth is, caring for orphans is so much more than adoption.

It's amazing how so many people told us we were going to destroy our family by going outside the birth-order (adopting kids older than our firstborn).

These posts are about leaning into the calling Christ has placed onto your heart and not relying on the opinon of others. Because this is your calling, not theirs, right?!  Part 1 and part 2.

Though things are sometimes hard, we choose to look at the fun times and strive to live a life relishing in the goofy hilarity and pray that joy outshines the shadows.

I'm often asked how we prepared the kids already in our home for their new sibling. This is what we've done. And it's worked so well.

There are tons of adoption-type posts I'm not linking to. So if you want to take the time, head here or here and start clicking around!

While going through photos, I'm realizing we only did a "Gotcha Video" for Imani coming home! Here it is above if you'd like to see it! She was the first we brought home...though you'll see at the very end of the video that I'm holding Ezekiel's hand.

This is how we announced to our friends and family that he'd join the family in four short months!

Take Joy,

Teresa