(Trying to dig up some cute old pics for those of you who know this part of our story already.)

We had never considered adoption before but while participating in our first Buddy Walk for Down syndrome after Colt was born we came across Reece’s Rainbow, a ministry whose mission is to find families for orphans with Down syndrome, and read that in other parts of the world these children are viewed as outcasts with no ability to learn or be functional members of society, languishing in mental institutions, hidden away from the world in shame — our heart broke for these children.

We saw their faces and pictured Colt being born into those circumstances.

From that moment on, we wanted to adopt a child with Down syndrome out of one of these orphanages. We put the Reece’s Rainbow magnet on our refrigerator and said that “one day” we were going to adopt.

Taking the leap from wanting to adopt to beginning the adoption process is a giant one.

As much as we had the desire to adopt a child with Down syndrome, I wondered if we would ever REALLY do it.

The cost was astronomical… Who has that kind of money?

The logistics seemed impossible... Who can take time off work or leave their other kids at home to fly across the world?

Plus, really, we are not the adventurous type that do this sort of thing.

What if this child had all sorts of emotional problems that put strain on the family?

What about our other 6 children?

So many fears and doubts that crippled us from being obedient to what we knew our family was called to do.

💛”Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.”

Luke 9:23.