Adoption Circles-Shout Outs

So, you probably know someone who is adopted or has adopted-everyone does. As an adpotive parent, "these people" become cornerstone in your life.  Often their families look like yours, you often have the same journey.   I am very lucky to have a very tight knit adoption circle.  Kind of like "six degrees of seperation" but without Kevin Bacon:).  Here goes:
Andi:
Adoptive mom of 1, bio mom of 1.  I met Andi and her husband when I did their homestdy as they prepared to adopt Olivia (from Ethiopia).  Ask her...  she's going to "lead the revolution", she is a "hippie mom" who cloth diapers and baby wears (in a $200 silk baby sling), does organic like she has a money tree in the back yard (chicken blessed by monks).  We don't always agree on politics, but we do agree about how to love on our kids.  She has been a constant cheerleader for our family, and a fierce defender of Andrew (thank you obnoxious lady at Tumbleweed).
Christy:
Adoptive mom of 1 waiting to adopt #2.  Good friend since college (I have known her husband since high school).  We "job shared" together for 3 years.  Her dad passed away when she was 20, and her insight has been AMAZING as she has helped me walk through the grieving process with my dad.  Five years ago I ran into her at an adoption conference (see Amy for this one) at an "infertility class" (lead by a man who had something like 6 kids-WHAT???).  They weren't ready, and we were.  We brought Andrew and Annabelle home and took them to church a few days later.  Christy was the first person I wanted to hold Annabelle.  I told her all the pain will go away when you have that sweet baby in your arms.  What I didn't know until later is she went directly to the bathroom and cried her eyes out.  Christy is a relentless prayer warrior and a  faithful friend.
Amy:
Bio mom of 1, maybe, sort of thinking about #2.  Why is she in our adoption circle you may ask....  I have known Amy since college (her husband offered me my first glass  tumbler of wine in college, so shady, I know).  What I didn't know is that she has wanted to adopt a little girl from China since she was 14.  Always had the dream in her heart and I never knew about it until 2005 when she took me to the adoption conference (where I saw Christy) that got our "adoption ball rolling".  Just a few months ago she and her husband decided it was time to move on from thier Chineese adoption (after 5 years of waiting with no end in sight).  She looked up at us, tears streaming and said, "Why would God put a burden like this on my heart, only not to fulfill the desire?  What could be the reason?"  I of course started to cry (the ugly kind, in a public place no doubt), and blubbered, "WE ARE THE REASON.  Our family is the reason".  At the conference Amy took me to, I met our homestudy agency (that would later introduce me to Andi and Erin) and they were at our house doing our homestudy the next week.   Encourager and wonderful friend.  So even though Amy does not have an adopted child of her own, she can count ours...
Erin-
Adoptive mom of 1 (Annabelle's future husband), bio mom to 1, soon to be 2.  Erin and I met 5 years ago when Andi and I were doing her home study as she prepared to adopt from Ethiopia.  She taught with Christy a few years before (crazy huh?).  She and her husband relocated to Pasadena when her kids were tiny babies and we had a long distance relationship (so to speak).  I WAS PUMPED when they decided to move back.  Our families genetic makeup is similar, so I am sure we turn a few heads on playdates.  2 mommies with 3 black kids and one white one, trust me we have heard it all!  Our kids are close in age and we have had the recent pleasure of taking dance and sports class together. We got to spend most of the day together every Friday for 10 weeks.   I LOVE LOVE LOVED the time to get to hear more of Erin's heart for all things, adoption included. Giving servant and supportive friend.

I am so excited to see the ways God is going to grow our families and our hearts.  Thank you sweet friends for the amazing and constant support you are in our adoption circle.