Dream Child?

During our state mandated adoption training class tonight, one of the instructors asked, "What does your dream child look like?". Some people were very open and specific about the child they saw in their head. When it came our turn I honestly answered that I hadn't imagined such details in my head. Seriously! Gosh, we just want to be parents to the parentless. I've never thought about what our possible adoptive child might look like, especially since we are open to any gender and any race.

However, there are some things that have crossed my mind and lips when thinking/talking about the wide range of children God has created who need loving homes to call their own:

1. If we were given the honor of mothering a child of color, I would have a few practical things to learn, such as braiding. My next door neighbor is African-American and I have often reminded her that if the Lord brings us a black daughter then we are going to have to celebrate with a hair-education class!

2. Luke tells me everyday that he wants Abigail to have a sister so she won't have to sleep in her room alone. He likes sharing a room with Andrew and feels safe having another breathing relative within eyesight at night. He desires Abigail to have that same comfort.

3. After the meeting late last night when I picked up Abigail from a friend's house, she looked around the empty van and said to me, "Where's my baby sister?".

4. Luke has told me that he wants to nickname his future sibling "Mickey Mouse". I told him that, although it's a cute name, the child God brings to our family will probably already have a name.

5. Andrew is desperately trying to get the fifth (empty) chair at our dining table to hold another McGinnis member. We are praying along with him!

6. Last night at the meeting, we were given a book of pictures and bios of children that are waiting for a family. It broke my heart that most of them were preteens and teenagers. Will these children ever know Christ? Will they ever be held by their mother? Will they ever be shown the wonders of a faithful and committed earthly father? If only the paperwork chase would move faster.....

7. Missy's words have spoken my heart. Missy adopted internationally while we are adopting domestically. Either way, this is also my response when I'm asked this question:

Q: Why do you want to adopt?

A: The short answer: We want more children. There are children who want parents. Voila.

The long answer: God placed a love of adoption on both of our hearts before we ever met..... We are blessed, honored and humbled to mimic our Father in this manner: to choose a child who is not of us, to call him or her our own, and make him or her our beloved heir - in the same way that the Lord did for us via the blood of our Savior Jesus Christ.

There are 147 million orphans in the world. That number makes me weep. I would mother all of them if I could. I can't. But I can mother at least one.

7. November is National Adoption month....will you pray with us? (Desiring God)


Psalm 68:5
Father of the fatherless and protector of widows is God in his holy habitation.

Galatians 4:6-7
And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.