As we were standing in line at seminary yesterday, a lady and her three kids were standing rather close and I could overhear her talking to another seminary wife. She said " yeah, I mean I would love to have two more babies of my own, but adoption, psshh, I am just not interested". I found it very odd that she was saying that for two reasons.
1. Adam and I were standing right beside her in line with Ribbit and Goober....it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that our kids are probably adopted.
2. I am assuming that since she was in the seminary line that either she or her husband or probably both are believers and for her to just be "not interested" in adoption seems contradictory to what scripture teaches. Sure, you can feel as if you aren't called to adopt, thats fine. But she said she would be up for having two more kids of her own...so its not a larger family that she is opposed to, just the idea of taking in orphans.
As I thought about it some more its almost like saying you aren't interested in missions or evangelism. As a believer you have to know that God has called us all to some sort of mission, whether that be your family or a tribe far away. We can't just pick and choose what we want to be interested in, if its a scriptural mandate....and taking care of orphans is, even if you just pray for them (which I am sure this lady does, I am sure she is super nice and I am just being overly offensive, but it really struck a nerve with me).
Now for something that I am "not interested" in. Like that segway?
I am not interested in the diagnosing and labeling of children, particularly mine. As a school teacher it became rather obvious to me early on that most kids who are labeled "add" are just being kids, I know that there are legit cases though too :). Goober was diagnosed ADD when he came to us and was on meds for it. He has been off since week two in our home and neither his pre-first teacher, nor his sunday school teachers, nor Adam and I can tell a lick of difference. I am hoping that consistency and love cured his "add tendencies" but who knows if he ever had them to begin with or if someone just wanted him sedated for their own leisure. I think one of the specialist that Goob goes to said it best when she dismissed us from her care and said " I am not going to over analyze a kid who seems very well adjusted and happy to be a part of a family, He doesn't need a label".
All that to say that we have been told different strengths and weaknesses of our children. Great, bring on the strengths, in fact tell those to my children. However, when adults label a child as a "people pleaser" and as not having "self-control" then you are looking for those behaviors in that kid and maybe not giving them a chance to grow. I probably sound like a mom who doesn't want to hear anything negative about her children. However, I don't know how else to react when someone says that my soon to be two year old, who wants her parents attention and who is cute as a button is somehow labeled a "people pleaser" and we are warned to watch that and nip it in the butt. My kids have had a bit of a rough life in the past, I think they are two of the greatest kids and thats not "despite their past". I would label them as "athletic, smart, fun to be around, happy" kids. All of those other things are part of growing up, I am sure we were all a little "out of control" when we were 6 or 7. Thank goodness are parents didn't harp on that and in turn overlook all the good things we were capable of.
Soap box done. Stepping off. Getting some sleep.
Here are the end of my highlight pictures from our alabama trip this summer. Finishing up with Fourth of July and then some from our loonnng drive home.
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