If you would have asked me several years ago if I would have seen myself sharing my story...our infertility and adoption journeys...with others, I would have probably laughed and dismissed the possibility.
What would I share about my story? Who cares about what I went through?
But I'm discovering that we ALL have a story to share with others. And I'm slowly learning how to share our story - not because my journey is more special but because God has called me to share it.
Our story isn't really different from others that have adopted. EACH and EVERY adoption story holds its own special and beautiful details, including ours. But in the last two years, we've been asked to begin sharing our journey with others. To my faithful blog readers, you've read some of the stories of our journey. You've entered into our lives and have begun to understand what brought our family together. We've also shared our story to youth groups, during Chick-fil-A's "Come & Play" times, and to child development classes at a local high school.
And this coming week, I will again share our story to a group of ladies at "Friendship Circle" at Weaverland Mennonite Church. {Prayers appreciated!}
At times, I've felt silly sharing our journey. My story doesn't make my journey better than another's. My story isn't more amazing, more wild, more adventurous, or more awesome than the stories of many others who have walked down these paths, too. But God has opened these doors, time and time again, for us to share about our adoption, and each time, we've felt led to accept the offer to speak.
As we share (and I prepare to share on Tuesday morning), it's NOT about ME. It's about GOD. It's about how HE's shaped our lives, and the least I can do is give back all of the HONOR and GLORY to HIM as I share. Because the truth is - He IS amazing. Those of you that know our story know the details and know that, time and time again, we've turned things over to Him, surrendering our wants and our needs for His purpose. It's not about us. It's not about what I want or what we want. It's about allowing Him to live in us and work through us...for HIS PURPOSE. And it was hard...really, really HARD...to get to that place of surrender, but I can assure you that once we allowed Him to work, He worked in unbelievable ways.
And our story is not yet finished. We have no idea what plans the Lord has for us in the future, in HIS perfect plan. We have no idea if or when we'll be blessed with more children in the Hershey household...and that can feel scary. The uncertainty can be intimidating. But one thing I know for sure is that whatever His plans are for me and for our family, I can rest in knowing that He will get me to that point and give me all that I need to accept that new path of my journey.
Your story is unfinished, too. But if you allow God into your life, He can do big...and I mean REALLY BIG...things with your life!
If you or anyone you know would like to hear me share on Tuesday morning, you may contact me for details. I will be nervous. I will be anxious and a bit scared, too. But I also know that I want to step outside of my comfort zone, so others can experience the love of Jesus...through the details of my journey...the way that I did when I needed Him most.
Thursday, March 27, 2014
Monday, March 10, 2014
"I was in your heart, Mommy."
Driving in the car, we approached the traffic light at the entrance to Sight & Sound Theatre. As we waited for the red light to turn green, I heard from the backseat ...
"Mom, what's that place? What's way up there?" ... As my three-year old pointed to the theatre's entrance and long driveway which leads to its gorgeous establishment.
"It's a really cool place to see shows, Mya. Daddy and I will take you there sometime. Okay?"
She agreed and liked the idea. Then our conversation continued. And our daughter's words surprised me.
"I was there before, Mommy." (I paused, pondering her words.)
"No, I don't think so, honey. Daddy and I were there before. But that's before you were born or in our family."
And without hesitation, she replied, "I was there, Mommy. I remember. I was in your heart."
WAIT? WHAT? HUH?
She literally left me speechless. How could I disagree with her? Her response was so pure, and she genuinely believed what she said. I couldn't argue with her, but I literally had no words to say in response except, "Yes, honey. Yes, you were in my heart."
As many of you know, our daughter joined our family through adoption. And we anticipated the day that her understanding of life and the world around her would require her to ask more and more questions. Specifically questions related to her adoption story. We've talked to her about her adoption story since the day we brought her home, thanks to the wonderful counseling we received through our caseworkers and training sessions at Bethany Christian Services. And although she wouldn't remember our dialogues with her from that early of an age, it's made it a pattern for her Daddy and me to learn what to say and how to say it.
Mya knows she has a birth-mommy. She knows she has a birth-daddy, too. She knows their first names. She also knows the names of her half-brother and biological grandmother. She can identify them in pictures, and when we reconnect in-person with them each year, she warms up to them and remembers them shortly after our visit begins. We've told her the town and the name of the hospital she was born in. We reminisce with her about what it was like for us when she was a baby and when we brought her home. We love sharing her adoption story with her, and as she gets older, we can tell she likes hearing the stories, too.
Mya's adoption story is such a special part of her...and yet I have no way of knowing how these details will all play-out in her life as she grows older and makes sense of it all on her own way. I love that she leaves me speechless. I love that her questions and comments give me no prep time. This enables true, genuine responses from me...to her. I want her to know my heart. To feel my desire. To truly sense my sincerity in conveying my love for her and her own unique adoption story. I love that each person or family touched by adoption has their very own unique story to share, too!
And yet - with all of this occasional dialogue that we have with our daughter related to her open adoption, moments like this story that I've just shared with you continue to leave this adoptive momma SPEECHLESS.
And I'm okay with that. :)
"Mom, what's that place? What's way up there?" ... As my three-year old pointed to the theatre's entrance and long driveway which leads to its gorgeous establishment.
"It's a really cool place to see shows, Mya. Daddy and I will take you there sometime. Okay?"
She agreed and liked the idea. Then our conversation continued. And our daughter's words surprised me.
"I was there before, Mommy." (I paused, pondering her words.)
"No, I don't think so, honey. Daddy and I were there before. But that's before you were born or in our family."
And without hesitation, she replied, "I was there, Mommy. I remember. I was in your heart."
WAIT? WHAT? HUH?
She literally left me speechless. How could I disagree with her? Her response was so pure, and she genuinely believed what she said. I couldn't argue with her, but I literally had no words to say in response except, "Yes, honey. Yes, you were in my heart."
As many of you know, our daughter joined our family through adoption. And we anticipated the day that her understanding of life and the world around her would require her to ask more and more questions. Specifically questions related to her adoption story. We've talked to her about her adoption story since the day we brought her home, thanks to the wonderful counseling we received through our caseworkers and training sessions at Bethany Christian Services. And although she wouldn't remember our dialogues with her from that early of an age, it's made it a pattern for her Daddy and me to learn what to say and how to say it.
Mya knows she has a birth-mommy. She knows she has a birth-daddy, too. She knows their first names. She also knows the names of her half-brother and biological grandmother. She can identify them in pictures, and when we reconnect in-person with them each year, she warms up to them and remembers them shortly after our visit begins. We've told her the town and the name of the hospital she was born in. We reminisce with her about what it was like for us when she was a baby and when we brought her home. We love sharing her adoption story with her, and as she gets older, we can tell she likes hearing the stories, too.
Mya's adoption story is such a special part of her...and yet I have no way of knowing how these details will all play-out in her life as she grows older and makes sense of it all on her own way. I love that she leaves me speechless. I love that her questions and comments give me no prep time. This enables true, genuine responses from me...to her. I want her to know my heart. To feel my desire. To truly sense my sincerity in conveying my love for her and her own unique adoption story. I love that each person or family touched by adoption has their very own unique story to share, too!
And yet - with all of this occasional dialogue that we have with our daughter related to her open adoption, moments like this story that I've just shared with you continue to leave this adoptive momma SPEECHLESS.
And I'm okay with that. :)
Sunday, March 2, 2014
Over 16,000 Coloring Pages!
My 3-year old loves to color. And she especially loves coloring pictures of characters from books and television shows that she loves. "SUPER COLORING," offers over 16,000 free printable coloring pages on their website.
Their categories range from cartoons and crustaceans to holidays, spiders, and vegetables. Your favorite book characters like "Llama Llama" and "Amelia Bedelia" are available, too. You can either print the pictures or color them online. They even offer some dot-to-dot pages. Here are a few examples....
[Click on images to print or color online.]
Llama Llama
The Very Hungry Caterpillar
Pinkalicious
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom
Olivia
Amelia Bedelia
Thomas the Train
AND MANY, MANY MORE. Happy Coloring!!!
Their categories range from cartoons and crustaceans to holidays, spiders, and vegetables. Your favorite book characters like "Llama Llama" and "Amelia Bedelia" are available, too. You can either print the pictures or color them online. They even offer some dot-to-dot pages. Here are a few examples....
[Click on images to print or color online.]
Llama Llama
The Very Hungry Caterpillar
Pinkalicious
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom
Olivia
Amelia Bedelia
Thomas the Train
AND MANY, MANY MORE. Happy Coloring!!!
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