This weekend we watched a charming film following the journey of a female bear with her young cubs. It was shot in Alaska with breath-taking scenery, and was given the fairly straightforward title of “Bears.” Great for the whole family, narrated by John C Reilly with some nice comedic touches…but it seemed like a metaphor to me. Obviously the Mama Bear metaphor is nothing new, but I typically think about it when some mean kid picks on Mama Bear’s kid. Through the adoption process, I’ve seen a new side of Mama Bear. It’s not just about her role to protect the cub from the other predators, but also the seemingly endless hike to find salmon, so she can provide food for her cubs. And then the long march back up the mountain where they will retreat for the winter, to hibernate and bond.
Dawn has said that it’s amazing how motivating it can be to know which child you’re working to bring home. That smiling face halfway around the world can create an incredible sense of urgency, that may not exist when you’re not sure who your child is. When we adopted Kate, it was our first time through the rodeo, and we didn’t know that she would be our daughter until very late in the process. This time around, Dawn has attacked the process with a warrior-like ferocity, and a Mama Bear’s desire to provide for her cub.
If you’ve never been through the adoption process, it’s natural to wonder “why does it take so long, and why are there so many steps?” At the risk of over-simplifying, the governments who run the process basically want to ensure that our motives are pure, that we’re not criminals, we won't change our minds, and that this adoption is best for the child. So that leads to fingerprints (lots of ‘em), background checks, and certificates to verify birth, marriage, income, health, sanity (no joke), and oh so much more. And that turns Sweet Dawn into the Adoption Warrior, who blazes through doctors offices, police departments, notaries, county courthouses, and even the Secretary of State's Office like a woman on a mission. Do not try to stand in between her and her cubs!
We firmly believe God is in control of our adoption. We are grateful that so far he has blessed Mama Bear's efforts to move things along as quickly as possible.
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