Adoption is the birthing of a child into a family from the heart instead of the womb. The thoughts of “snips and
snails;and;puppy;dog;tails”;along;with
“sugar;and;spice;and;all;things;nice”;will
dance through parents’ heads prior to
the;child’s;arrival.;But;so;often;parents
aren’t;properly;trained;and;can;go;into
an adoption with rose colored glasses.
Please;don’t;get;me;wrong;;adoption;is
beautiful! Watching ashes turn to beauty
is;one;of;the;most;amazing;journeys;a
parent could ever experience. However,
it is a journey. It is a journey with many
trials and tribulations—a pilgrimage to
healing the brokenhearted child. It’s a
voyage through many rough waters and
a calling to love what some would deem
the unlovable.
We prepare our hearts for this calling
for;weeks,;months,;even;years.;We;are
filled;with;visions;in;our;heads;of;this
precious child running into our arms,
ready to join a new family, a new culture,
a new life, and we hope everything will
be picture perfect. And then the bubble
bursts and life happens. Our hearts cry
out for our hurting children. We want
to;kiss;every;boo-boo.;Wipe;away;every
tear.;Hug;away;all;of;the;pain.;But;what
happens when our child pushes us away?
No one could ever prepare our hearts for
that type of rejection.
As a mother, you feel rejected turned
down, and given the cold shoulder. It may
seem;like;the;word;veto has been stamped
across your forehead in large letters. No
matter what you do, your child holds up
two;hands;and;yells;“stranger;danger”;at
the;top;of;his;lungs.;Your;mama’s;heart
plummets to your feet. You feel defeated,
conquered and crushed. To protect your-
self you begin to build walls around your
own heart. The heart that once loved has
become;hard;like;sun;baked;clay.;If;you
held it in your hand, it would crumble
into;a;million;pieces.;You;look;at;yourself
in the mirror wondering as you cry out
to;God,;“What;has;happened;to;me?”
www.TheOldSchoolhouse.com
A Heart of Flesh:
An;Adoptive;Mama’s;Heart
By;Sonya;Schweighardt
It is a journey with many trials and tribulations—
a;pilgrimage;to;healing;the;brokenhearted;child.
