The Miracle of Adoption
I imagine that if you went through public school in the last 20 years, you probably watched The Miracle of Life (or something like it) in Health class. The Miracle of Life, more commonly referred to as “the video,” is a video resource for educators who want to educate (read: traumatize via graphic detail) about the miracle that takes place in the delivery room of a hospital.
I don’t mind telling you that the video’s climactic scene is gross, but it’s also remarkably effective at capturing how microscopic elements combine, grow, and thrive inside the womb, and ultimately produce a slimy, wiggly baby. Certainly this is a miracle–one that is biological in context and guided by a gracious God. I didn’t understand all of that when I watched The Miracle of Life as a 13-year-old kid, but I think I understand it now.
In the same way, I think I’m beginning to understand the miracle of adoption as an adoptive dad of almost four weeks. Now that we’re home from Vietnam with our daughter, I understand how elements such as paperwork, prayer, pain, waiting, money, hope, and process ultimately produce a child–hopefully less slimy than a newborn, but likely more wiggly. This is also a certain miracle. While it’s relational and emotional in context rather than biological, it is still undoubtedly guided by the same gracious God.
Our process–our story with its ups and downs, highs and lows, ins and outs–grew and thrived and became a miracle. A child. Our child.
This:
Became this:
That’s the miracle of adoption. Regardless of whether you’ve been an adoptive dad for four weeks or 40 years, I hope you never forget the miracle you participated in.
Now if I could only forget that delivery room miracle from the video …
Debbie says:
Wow! Scott, that’s so touching and true. So glad that you have made the dad list.