I love color photos. There is something magical about seeing the coloring of a child's eyes, hair, skin and surroundings and how those colors interact with each other. Color shows joy and childhood beautifully but there is something equally fascinating about black and white. Black and white photos capture the essence of childhood in a way that color never can. So I don't always know which way to go in my conversions when I'm proofing. Sometimes it's obvious...but other times it's not. And in the end, it's always a matter of taste. Of course, with girls this beautiful you can't really go wrong either way can you?
Sieta and Annabella are not only beautiful girls on the outside, they are truly beautiful and special inside, too. They were adopted from Russia just like my girls and like all of these beautiful Russian children that have entered our lives in the last few years, they are a blessing beyond measure...both to their parents and to everyone who meets them. Their souls are so pure and gentle and loving. There is something in the nature of these Russian children that I can't quite put into words but if you met them and spent just five minutes with them...well...you'd experience exactly what I mean.
My prayer is that anyone reading this who has even remotely considered adoption would really give it a heartfelt thought. Leave it in God's hands and ask Him to guide you toward a decision that brings you peace. There are so many children that need parents and if there is one thing I can promise you beyond a shadow of a doubt is that not only will you love them and bond with them exactly as much as you would a biological child, but I can guarantee you that what they bring to your life is much greater and much more powerful than you can even begin to imagine. The blessings that they will pour on you will outnumber anything you think you might be doing for them. There is no comparison.
You see, people always say that adoption is a wonderful thing because they think of it as some kind of charity -- as if somehow you are a better person for doing it. But in reality, adoption is almost a selfish thing because you get to experience a love that many people will never know. You get to know pure unconditional love that knows no boundaries and has no obligation but yet will consume you with a joy and passion unlike any other. You will look at your child and wonder how on earth you could have ever existed without him or her and you will never ever stop wondering what would have happened if you hadn't found each other. The "what ifs" and the guilt of even having ever stopped to think about the decision, will consume you from the inside out and they will make your love even more powerful and protective.
Your vulnerability is intensified when you realize that there was a remote possibility that you may not have ended up together...and yet something inside of you will tell you that there was no way it wouldn't have happened. This was meant to be your child. Always. There was no other way. How could he or she have been borne from another and yet be so closely tied to your soul...intertwined and inseperable? You are literally two lives joined as one -- like a master plan come to fruition. You will realize that you were created exactly for this purpose. God led you straight to each other yet along a different path than you may have envisioned initially. But God will bring you to your child and your child to you. And you will hear that voice inside of you that aches with the knowledge of the things your child experienced before you came into his/her life and you will want to do anything you can in your power, or even beyond your reach, that can give your child peace and comfort in your love.
It is beautiful and spiritual and powerful.
You see, the amazing thing about adoption that most people don't realize is that you will actually gain so much more than you will give; and anything you think you might be doing to help a child, will literally pale in comparison to what that child does for you. No, it's not charity. Not at all. It is love stripped to its most pure and raw form and it will humble you to know that, in the end, you really have nothing at all to offer but so much to gain.
I promise you.
