Acceptance.

“Accept the children the way we accept trees—with gratitude, because they are a blessing—but do not have expectations or desires. You don’t expect trees to change, you love them as they are.”
― Isabel Allende


Acceptance is a place that is difficult for many to reach. The easiest decision I ever had to make was the decision to love Jeremy no matter what. 

I read a blog the other day that made me angry. It angered me for numerous reasons, but mostly it angered me because there is a baby girl out there who has no family to love her, and the one family that was going to love her simply backed out. In short the baby girl was born with a lot of problems, her biological parents had chosen (previously) to give her to an adoptive family that could care for her (I assume this is before any problems were known). When she was born and these problems surfaced the adoptive family was given the choice to back out. They chose to back out. While I can understand some of the reason they chose to back out I also have a lot of difficulty understanding their decision. I guess my biggest issue with it is the unanswered question of what happens to the baby girl? Who is there for her?

I read an article this morning about a family that was awarded $50 Million for a "Wrongful Birth" lawsuit. In short (again) the genetic testing was done and the lab did not test for the correct genetic defects, their baby was born and has numerous growth and developmental issues. Had they known they would have aborted. So I ask this - while your child may have an IQ lower than 70, how would you feel knowing your parents would have chosen to get rid of you on the chance you may have had a genetic abnormality.

I am not necessarily pro-choice or pro-life... but there is not a bone in my body that would have chosen to abort Jeremy. Nor is there a bone in my body that would EVER think a lawsuit is appropriate in a case like this (and ours surely would make a lawyer's day!) There are also no bones in my body that would think it was okay to walk away from a child - either mine or adopted into our family - who needed us there.

Sometimes people really piss me off, and you know what I want to say to them? It is so easy to give up, walk away, and not face reality... and while you are doing that I am going to enjoy this little face and his smiles, and the way he grabs my cheeks and pulls me closer. I am choosing to watch him learn from everyone what the definition of love is. I will watch videos and read stories like this that totally make my day and give me undeniable hope for Jeremy's future!