- Donuts, fruit & juice for breakfast
- Kids played at park (We learned very quickly that Albina wasn't very fond of St George heat!)
- Preparation for the fashion show at mall tomorrow (As girls, we will will model clothing from the new fall line from the store my mom works at.)
- Ate lunch at Cafe Rio with Granddaddy and Grandma Nuki
- Had frozen yogurt with Granddaddy, Grandma Nuki, Aunt & Uncle and Cousins.
- Had a family dinner at Granddaddy & Grandma Nuki's house with Aunts, Uncles and Cousins.
- Played a mean game of UNO. (Albina's favorite game!)
Three events affected me profoundly today.
1. I received an email from someone close to me. This individual had taken a lot of time to really think through and share with me all the pros and cons of adopting older children internationally. It was a very thoughtful email that showed a tremendous amount of concern for my well-being. All of the concerns were things that I've certainly realized throughout my research and decision making. The fact is, adopting is a scary thing. I have no idea what specific issues we will run into. I don't know exactly what I'll be dealing with. I don't know if everything will be laughter, smiles and love (and I'm actually certain that it won't be!) OR if we will deal with lots of huge difficulties as these children make the transition into family life as well as life in America. We're bound to have plenty of serious challenges along the road. These potential challenges scare me... in fact, they scare me a lot! However, every time I've prayed and really sought to know what I should do, my concerns and fears are calmed and I feel that God really does want me to do this and that He is right there ready to help me with whatever we have to face. Somehow I have to remember to hold on to those thoughts and feelings when there are distractions around me that scream "ARE YOU CRAZY?" It's going to be tough.
2. Tonight James and I met with a good family friend that has a lot of connections in the community. The meeting was very positive and left me feeling supported. He indicated that he would do what he could to help us raise the money and plans to spread the word. We left feeling hope. I like HOPE. :-)
3. Later tonight I had a long talk with my dad. I explained to him more of my journey leading me to my decision to adoption. He continues to urge me to be very cautious about making the decision to adopt. His reasons are understandable, and certainly valid. After meeting with him, James and I spoke for a long time. We discussed all the different outcomes that could come from adopting these children. We discussed all the different possible roads they could choose. We realize that our hope for these children (as well as our biological children) is absolute success in every area of life (education, family, spirituality, financial etc). However, we have to be realistic and understand that there will absolutely be challenges and heartache along the way. As we discussed every possible outcome we realized that regardless of what choices they ultimately make, we can still feel success by simply giving them a family, love and opportunity. We determined that those gifts are good enough. If they take advantage of the unlimited opportunity that we can help provide, we will be thrilled. If they choose to throw all opportunity away, we know we can still love them and give them the stability of knowing they are loved and have a family that will always be there for them. And that will be our definition of SUCCESS.
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