One of the most difficult aspects of being an adoptive or foster parent is that the vast majority of the population around you believes your child is damaged and it’s their responsibility to rescue them. Nothing could be further from the truth!
I’ve sung the hymn thousands of times over the years. I know the words backwards and forwards. I believe in the story the song tells with all of my heart. But around my house, with 6 children under the age of 12, there is no such thing as silence…ever!
This is a guest post by Genevieve West who is a blogger and author. She describes herself as a wine-drinking, coffee-chugging, and domestically-challenged relationship consultant. She’s the author of “It’s Your Fault You’re Single: Why You Are You Own Worst Enemy In Love”. She lives in Portland, Oregon with her husband Eric, and their three daughters. You can follow her on Twitter and check out her blog by clicking here.
I used to laugh. In fact, when I did, I rarely considered the cost. Then it hit home for me. It happened after I became the parent of children with special needs.
I am unashamedly a domestically-challenged housewife and homeschool mom. Most mornings, I remain in bed with my eyes closed until the littles demand food. I do the “Mombie” walk to the coffee maker and pray that I didn’t forget to buy Keurig cups, so I don’t have to try to count scoops with all these kids talking at me, before my eyes are all the way open.
In a few weeks my wife and I will cross over into another new season- our 12 year old daughter will officially become a teenager. After a conversation with a friend yesterday, it got me thinking about necessary and unavoidable change.
Not all of them, mind you! I certainly believe there are many rules that need to be followed. I’m not advocating that people do illegal things or something that harms another person. But there are times, and other rules, where a full-on breach is necessary.
A couple of months ago I wrote a post entitled Fighting For The Heart, in lieu of a powerful one-day conference I attended in my hometown of Indianapolis. You can read the entire post here. As parents and spouses, there is a fight that all of us are called into and it is, in fact, the greatest fight of our lives!
