So Do We Let Ourselves Get Attached?

I was telling my hubby my thoughts on this the other day. I notice that some people have 'held themselves back' from getting attached to their referred children, until after they have a successful court date.

I see their reason in this: It is a way to protect oneself from having one's heart broken. However, I feel differently.

For the last nine months, we have been praying for 'our girls'. We knew nothing about them, but we knew they needed: protection, good health, good food, loving care, and a safe place to live. We also knew that if they had family in Ethiopia, that family would need to have peace about giving up the girls.

When we saw our girls' photos in the beginning, we quickly got copies made of the pictures and gave them to the boys and our parents. We now had someone(s) tangible to pray for. We had their names, their faces, and their family history. We could pray specifically.

We now began to pray that God would prepare their hearts to join us in Canada. We prayed that their bodies would be healed of any 'germs', as our little boy calls them. We pray for them by name and we pray for God to be with their family.

In the last 5 weeks, we have been so blessed by others thoughtfulness in getting us pictures and video of our girls. Most recently, we had a video of our two girls standing together, waving happily at the camera, as a friendly adoptive mum and dad coached them to say, "Hello Canada!" They smiled so sweetly, but did not say a word. *smile* It was so sweet, as our littlest girl grinned so adorably as she turned to look at her big sister, while still waving at us.

Every photo we have received we have developed and put in an album. We have given our boys copies of these pictures. We have shared the pictures with friends.

Are we attached?

Yes. Definitely.

Is it a good thing?

I think so.

Why?

Because, even if we were not blessed to be able to parent these girls, they will always be 'our girls' to pray over and to love. It doesn't matter who parents them - they need prayer coverage, regardless.

To quote our wise little 9 year son, "God doesn't always give us what we want."

To which I said, "You're right. Sometimes God says, No. But we can still pray for them."

"And we will still have their pictures and they will still be ours," he replied.

And like I told my husband: When I was pregnant did I stay 'detached' in the first three months because there was a chance I might miscarry? No! And I did miscarry - twice. But both of those babies were loved and named and once in a blue moon our little boys make mention of their two 'brothers' - (what else would they be? Laugh) in heaven.

So, we allow ourselves to become attached, and we all pray that we have a successful court date.

But at the same time as I am praying for this, I feel odd.

Should I be praying for a successful court date when it means a mother will give up her rights to her children? That feels rather selfish.

No, it is better to simply pray that God's will be done with regard to these precious little girls.