If you know us personally then you probably know others that know us personally. I have a request. Please share these thoughts with others, so that I don't lose my self control and share them in person.
Here are the facts and we already know.
Yes, it is not "normal" to adopt this many children. EXPLANATION: We are not trying to be normal. We don't want to be normal. We like our crazy life and our loving home. I'm definitely not going to win any "normal person of the year award" and I am very cool with it.
Yes, it is going to be busy and crazy to take on this many with special needs who have never lived in homes before. EXPLANATION: We like busy and crazy (the opposite of normal to most). We love children and feel that each and every one is a blessing. If you think we will change our minds and leave them in mental institutions and orphanages because it will cause our lives to be a little wild for a while, then you are wasting your breath. They are already mine in my heart and I will take down anyone in the path to make sure that they get home. If your child was in that situation wouldn't you do the same?
Yes, we realize that they don't speak English. EXPLANATION: I really don't care what language they speak. God made them and God brought them to my attention because He knew I'd fall in love and do something about it. They will learn to understand language just as my other children with autism learned to do. It will be a challenge, but also a rewarding and educational experience for our whole family.
Yes, we know we can't save them all. EXPLANATION: I can still save more. I can't adopt them all, so why don't all the people who say or think that do something about it? Why don't all of them save one? The statistics show that if most Christians adopted even one child, there would be no more orphans. I don't need an excuse and I refuse to defend myself. I am now leaving the defending to those who do nothing.
Yes, I will have 12 children ages 10 and under. EXPLANATION: That happens to be when they were born and how old they are. Sounds like fun to me!
Yes, I have thought of the "How are we going to do it?". EXPLANATION: I hear that question a lot so believe me I have considered it. The answer is that I will be figuring that out as we go, just as we always have. God doesn't give all the answers right away. He provides what we need as we go! I have learned to live peacefully with that for the most part (harder when they aren't safely in my arms yet, but I'm trying). We are planning to do some extra homeschooling during the summer and take time off when they arrive home with maybe just some light studies and build back up to our normal school routine.
I'm sure there are lots more things that should be here. It is quite late and I am tired. I do now feel much better after getting that off of my chest.
If anyone thinks that there is an alternative to my insanity, then you don't know me well. I love the children that God has placed in my heart. I will not leave even one of them behind to live in hopelessness. I will take on more if God provides a way. If anyone is very concerned about what all I am taking on, then please feel free to get off of your bahootas (I use that word instead of "butts" here often) and do something crazy for God yourselves. You might find it is quite rewarding and that knowing you changed the life of a child is even worth a little extra tiredness and making life a little harder for a short while is such a BLESSING.
Please spread the word. My "paper pregnancy hormones" may be the culprit. It could also be a very earnest impatience for the complacency of the world around me. It might even be that I can't imagine how people live knowing that they do nothing to help children that God created, but yet live in despair. I can't put a definite pinpoint on the cause of my inability to deal with the questions. I just know that the next person who suggests in any way (no matter how discreetly) that maybe I should leave my children in mental institutions or let them suffer so those around me won't be uncomfortable or we won't have to go to the "trouble" of being their parents, might need to DUCK.
