I have great in-laws. I love when then come to visit and am sad when they leave. We bought a used Honda Odyssey from my wife’s sister. She gave us a great deal on it. One day my kids were riding with my wife and my son asked when we were going to fill the other 3 seats up with more babies? So, 2 years later we’re a family of 5 filling all the seats. The foster family who had the 3 older siblings suggested that we might consider taking them all. My initial response was no way (with more explicatives than that) but, the idea would cross my mind every once in a while.
Almost from the beginning my wife was willing to do it. She developed a really close relationship with the oldest girl and that opened the door in our hearts to all of them really. December 17 of 2010 the 3 older girls came to live with us.
Jody and I love these kids now as if they were our own, really because they are. The adoption of them is in process and will hopefully be completed this summer. They have changed our lives in so many ways. We moved from the first house we ever purchased in order to accommodate a mega family. We have to take 2 vehicles wherever we go. We always have someone needing us for something. We always have laundry to do or something to clean up and at times it is overwhelming. We’ll probably have to build a house because there just aren’t any on the market that would be ideal for a family our size. Family has taken on a new meaning for both of us. I have 1 sibling and my wife has 2 so this is uncharted water for us. Our incredible friends, family and a church family are all sacrificially generous and supportive of us. We potentially have 6 weddings to plan/pay for in our future, 8 high school graduations, hopefully 8 college gradations and more birthdays than I can possibly remember (thinking about tattoos of them).
Jody and I love these kids now as if they were our own, really because they are. The adoption of them is in process and will hopefully be completed this summer. They have changed our lives in so many ways. We moved from the first house we ever purchased in order to accommodate a mega family. We have to take 2 vehicles wherever we go. We always have someone needing us for something. We always have laundry to do or something to clean up and at times it is overwhelming. We’ll probably have to build a house because there just aren’t any on the market that would be ideal for a family our size. Family has taken on a new meaning for both of us. I have 1 sibling and my wife has 2 so this is uncharted water for us. Our incredible friends, family and a church family are all sacrificially generous and supportive of us. We potentially have 6 weddings to plan/pay for in our future, 8 high school graduations, hopefully 8 college gradations and more birthdays than I can possibly remember (thinking about tattoos of them).
But.
It.
Is.
Great.
Our lives have new meaning because of them and we’re a family.
This is gonna be interesting...
