My Hero

A child holds a puppy in the parking lot of the pet store.

An older dog dies by needle at the local shelter.

Families wait for years for that perfect baby or toddler.

A child ages out in China, the hope of a family gone.

Adopting older has its risks whether we are talking animals or humans. Why? Because we all have baggage. And the older we get, the more baggage we carry.

But this shouldn't deter us from taking that chance, that risk. Every child is a risk, a challenge, no matter what the age. Some children have more baggage simply because of where they have come from. Other children seem to be resilient no matter what the circumstance.
But we need more families willing to take that risk. We need more families willing to open their hearts to the orphan.

I remember the first time I heard Angelina Jolie talk about her biological daughter and the fact she was a sloth and how her adopted daughter was so brave and amazing. I was appalled.

And then I adopted.

And my eyes were opened.

My adopted daughter has endured more loss, more grieving, in her 4 short years than I will in a lifetime. She has lost everything.

She is resilient though.

She is my hero.

Because she has learned to love again, to trust again. She falls asleep in my arms at night knowing she'll be in the same comfortable place in the morning.

She trusts me to keep her safe.

How amazing. What a gift.

She loves me. She trusts me.

My hero.