We continue to search for the new future addition(s) to our family. There are days when I feel like I have all of this "extra" love to give to that new son/daughter that is just being wasted in the time that goes by without that new child being added to our family. But then when I am reminded that the child doesn't have to be an official member of our family for us to show love to them, I gain a renewed perspective on what I should be doing with this extra capacity to love children/teens. This is what the graduation announcement reminded me of. This particular kid, along with his older & younger sister, were like our "borrowed children" in the years before Talen came along. I had them in swimming lessons at Prairie Life Center as well as their mom as a fellow co-worker at said fitness center. For some reason, our families were naturally drawn to each other. (It helped that these 3 kids were so well raised & SOOO easy to be around & have fun with!) Anyway, not only did I see them a few days a week at the health club, their parents even entrusted them to be with Jonathan & I for various days, & sometimes even overnights! These 3 kids were so special to us that we had them do a handprint collage on our basement walls as a way to commemorate their special place in our hearts & lives. Well we've long since moved out of that home & the handprints are long gone. But the fact that we were able to love on these kids as special "honorary" members of our family remains.
In the days ahead when we will still be looking for & waiting for that special child(ren) that will become our "official" family members, our "extra" love doesn't have to go to waste. We are not called to hold all that love inside. We've been commissioned to give that love to everyone, everywhere. That includes the teens that we work with at our church...the friends our of little 5 year old daughter...the kids of my co-workers... Our family extends far beyond the bounds of a traditional family. Sometimes I just need a reminder that our family can have as many kids as we want it to...traditional or borrowed. For now, we'll love on our 1 traditional child, as well as be on the lookout for kids that may need a 'lil ol' family to "borrow" them from time to time. :)
