Dear Future 4th Brooks Kid,
Tonight, just like almost every night around 2 or 3 am for the last several months, I lay awake thinking about you. You are likely sleeping soundly, thousands of miles away. Hopefully, you are sleeping soundly, although I doubt in a cozy bed, in a loving home like your brothers and sisters. If you cry or need someone in the night, is there someone to quickly respond to your needs? To cuddle you and tell you that it’s ok and to go back to sleep? OR are you growing warmly inside your mother’s womb, as her thoughts swirl too, wondering what she’s supposed to do? Babies (I heard the word fetus was banned in 2018, and although fully appropriate here, I’m a rule follower- insert eye roll) can definitely feel their mother’s stress while in the womb, and I can only imagine the ups and downs of emotions she is feeling right now. Are you being exposed to drugs and alcohol or violence towards your mother?
Why this need for YOU? I have a boy (two, actually) and a girl– we have well exceeded the American dream of 2 1/2 kids and a dog. My schedule is more than full, balancing the demands of a busy job and a family with three young kiddos. My hands are physically full with 3 little people who are still known to dart in 3 different directions at just the right time. My pocketbook does not overflow with extra money where at the end of each month I wonder, “Where should I put all of this excess??” In all rational senses of the word, I absolutely should not NEED you. BUT, my perception of the NEED of a beautiful child, somewhere sleeping thousands of miles away tonight, or one day soon to be born to a mother who has decided that she either cannot or does not want to care for you, is wrecking me. I, along with the rest of my family, have so very much love in our hearts for YOU. The thought of YOU sleeping somewhere without the crazy LOVE of a momma and daddy, and brothers are sisters, breaks our hearts. Despite our crazy schedule and our full hands, we want more than anything to give YOU this family that every child deserves. Someone to go to bat for you and advocate for you every.single.time! Somewhere that is your HOME, where you can feel safe, nurtured, and loved. Somewhere that you are treasured, and that you know that no. matter. what you are loved.
Some kids who are adopted feel different or separate, but I want you to feel CHOSEN. Despite our lack of needing another person among us, we can’t live without you. God is preparing our hearts to raise thousands of thousands of dollars, travel to whereever YOU are, learn another language (if we need to) and put everything on our schedule on hold to bring YOU home to us. We don’t know if you’re a boy or a girl, but we know that you’re Brooks Kid #4 and we are so excited about you. Because, you see, God didn’t call our family to live The American Dream. He has called our family for something so much bigger. Those who are living in the rat race of the American Dream, trying each day to get further ahead, will absolutely not understand. But, God has called our family to live HIS dream. And God cares about orphans, so very much. And our family can’t be the difference for the eight million orphans living across the world. But, we can be the difference for YOU and that will change your whole life. So, for those of you who wonder what in the world I am thinking, this is my WHY. Ben and I can’t change the world, but we can certainly change the world for this child.
We have set up a YouCaring crowdfunding site, which gives us the ability to keep you guys updated in our process and allows our friends and family to support us financially (they do NOT take a percentage, which is wonderful. It is not a tax deductible donation at this time.) Currently, it has been shared 130 times in just over 24 hours. You guys, ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY. I can’t tell you how happy that makes my heart. Thank you for caring about our family, our journey, and our baby. I know enough about adoption to know that it is an amazing journey, but that it is not filled with butterflies and roses the whole time, so we SO MUCH appreciate your shares, your prayers, and your financial support (if you feel led to do so). You can donate there or message me directly and I will send you my Paypal link. I will do another post soon about the logistics of domestic adoption- the costs- the route we have chosen to take, etc.
Originally Published on April 14, 2017— Shared again on 1/10/2018 after announcing our intent to adopt domestically.
The Brooks Family 