A.K.A The Child Collector

Recently (and on numerous occasions) it has been implied that I am some sort of "child collector" who should be adopting from America if I am going to adopt at all. While the term is probably most offensive to my children because it makes children seem like objects, it is not that bad since it also implies that children are worthy. I mean who afterall, collects things that are not of value at least in the eye of the beholder? I don't know not a one person.

And believe me, my children are absolutely precious to me. They are the rarest of gems...... each and every one of them. Some shine so bright and have an indescribable brilliance when you look into them. Others, I have had the privilege of carving away the dirt in the crevices resulting in a priceless diamond from the rough. Oh, how that meticulous work has paid off.

When I think of all of the other things that I could be, I honestly and wholeheartedly would not want to be anything else. If what I am appears to be a child collector to some, then a child collector I am. God has given me my husband, and my children, and most blessedly has given my dreams wings. I am enjoying my large family to the fullest and love the fact that I got to "collect" my children from all over the world.

First God blessed John and I with six biological children. Each birth was very special to both of us and brought us closer together as a husband and wife. Later God closed that door because He wanted to show us where our other children were. He made it perfectly clear that they were not anywhere in America because the laws in this country said our house wasn't big enough. So we were led to two beautiful girls all the way in Ivanovo, Russia. A year later we did adopt here in America--- twice in fact. Nice that we didn't have to travel far to find these two beautiful diamonds. Later on, I knew that our collection was not complete so we traveled to Ukraine for another little boy. He was most certainly our biggest find----- people are amazed by his beauty and inner strength. I am so thankful that we trusted God that Dennis was indeed supposed to be part of our collection. While we were there, another little boy grabbed our attention, but we didn't want to appear like greedy collectors snatching up all of them gems so we came home and told lots and lots of people about this precious gem. But no one else stepped up to add this child to their collection so we thought what the heck! What is one more???

P.S. Are there any other child collectors out there?