gift.

that thing that i was really excited about yesterday?

it happened this morning:

we got to skype with our boys!

so unbelievable.  so fun.

our friend, mandie, who is doing wonderful work in our boys'
home country, offered to take them for the day.

they went swimming and had water fights.

at the end of their afternoon,

they skyped with us as we rolled out of bed.

this was the first time that we have been able to talk with them since

they have known that we are their family.

so wonderful to talk about it with them, let them ask questions about life here,

see their dad & sisters [the babies were still asleep!] and to

let them all chat together. 

such a gift.

i know many of you have heard the statistics.  

i think the latest number is that there are 163 million orphans world wide.

a great number of those orphans are not eligible for adoption.

this is where things like sponsorship or in-country support are so crucial.

of the children that are available for adoption,

many of them look like our sons did just several months ago.

"older" "boy" "sibling group" 

many of them add on 

"may have some special needs" "medical care will be required"

"will need a family able to work through grief & loss issues"

and do you know what those things look like on paper?

let's be honest, those labels can look scary.

but, here is what i know with everything in me:

these children are not those labels.

they are not the statistics.

they are not the fears.

they are names and faces and arms ready to hug.

they are laughter and hope and please-let-me-be-chosen-next.

they are our sons and daughters.

they are children that were made for love.

we have love to give.

[maybe you do, too?]