"Can you not have more parents?"

I wonder if anyone has ever asked an orphan, "Can you not have more parents?" I don't mean to sound harsh, but I can't tell you how many people have asked me "Can you not have more children?" since we started this process. I suppose it is a natural question. People are curious as to why we would choose to grow our family through adoption. A lot of people automatically assume we can't have anymore kids "of our own" and that is why we are adopting. It is not. Actually, I guess it could be...we haven't even tried since London was born. You see, as I've mentioned before, adopting is something I have always wanted to do, something God laid on my heart as far back as my childhood. I remember telling my mom one day approximately 6 1/2 years ago that I was thrilled to experience pregnancy, but felt that our next child would be adopted.
I absolutely loved being pregnant! I played with the doppler every night that I worked and listened to his heart beat. I cherished every kick and flutter. London was delivered by c-section due to placenta previa, so I missed out on the natural childbirth I had planned on. I know many of you are rolling your eyes right now and thinking, whatever!!! I literally stayed up the entire first night just staring at him. He was so perfectly pink and precious. I loved breast feeding, more eye rolling from a few, I know because I did it before I experienced it for myself...magical! :) Anyway, my point is that it was an amazing experience, one that we may choose to repeat one day, but for now the plight of the orphans weighs too heavily upon my heart to even consider bringing another child into the world while there are so many helpless, hopeless children already here who need a mommy and daddy to love and cherish them. Please do not misunderstand me. I am not at all saying it is wrong to have a child. I just think it's sad that people don't typically think to adopt just for the sake of adopting, for the sake of a lonely child in desperate need for a family. For many it is a last resort. Having experienced the "birth" of a child grown in my heart, I can say with absolute certainty, it is equally magical and just as amazing as physically giving birth to a child. I am thrilled to be carrying Maphada in my heart. I love the sound of her deep voice! I cherish every photo and video chat. The journey has been long and painful at times, but I would do it again in a moment to see her little face light up on that computer screen as the image of our faces appear to her. It is absolutely priceless!
So, I would encourage all of you to think about adoption in a new way, not as a last resort, but as a purposeful way to reach out to the lonely and helpless children in our broken world. Support families in your community who are in the process of adopting, or those who have brought their children home and are dealing with unique issues. Encourage families who are fostering children in temporary placement, or those who are fostering to adopt and risking the loss of a child or children. Pray that God will provide fathers for the fatherless, and be open to the possibility of Him making you that father or mother ;) ... Most of  all, pray that God will reveal Himself to the orphans around the world as their Heavenly Father, that they will place their trust and faith in Him above all, and experience an eternity so vastly different than their present life. Pray they will learn the glorious truth that this life is not all there is and find ways to spread that truth around the world, not only to orphans, but to all who find themselves utterly helpless in a cold, cruel, careless world.