YES, I WOULD DO IT ALL AGAIN!

Rise’ had a severe asthma flare up when we did our 2 weeks “Spirit of Mother” and was not able to turn her blog in at that time but she really wanted to share this special time with us…..Ponnie

What do homemade cards drawn by little hands, breakfast made of peanut butter sandwiches, massages with stinky lotion, fingernails polished ten different colors, a favorite stuffed animal wrapped in a favorite blanket, and a dandelion flower in a cup of water all served in bed with lots of hugs and kisses have in common? If you guessed Mother’s day then you are right.

Every year this time I get the ever daunting questions of,” what do you want for Mother’s day this year mommy?” To which I always answer, “Lots of hugs and kisses, with a lot of very sweet, good children.” And then I hear the children all huff,” But that is what you wanted last year.”

One of my most favorite Mother’s day celebrations was a few years back. We had just learned that we had been chosen by a pregnant fourteen year old girl, to adopt her baby. I had been to a couple of the doctor’s appointments and had been able to hear our little Emma’s heart beat for the first time the Friday before.

Since we were saving for the adoption we didn’t have the money to play around with, so I had informed my family that all I wanted was a day of pampering and fun with the children. I was awakened early by breakfast in bed, fixed by my children that were at the time between the ages of 1 to 7 years old. Breakfast began with a parade of children, my youngest at the time, one year old Cassie, brought my tray, two year old Alexandria was next with a vase, then three year old Cora the dandelion flowers gripped tightly in her fat little hand, four year old Ely brought my fork, four year old Rachel, the spoon, four year old Isaac came in balancing a cup of some kind of Kool-Aid concoction made up of all of their favorite kinds (and in case you're wondering, Yes if you mix enough different kinds of Kool-Aid together, it will turn black!), 5 year old Jamie was honored with the plate, on it a peanut butter and jelly sandwich sprinkled with cake sprinkles and a dill pickle; then five year old Mari-Elyzabeth brought a small bowl of grits since it was breakfast, six year old Richard had the salt and pepper and the last but certainly not least, seven year old Robert brought in a hand full of homemade cards.

After choking down their thoughtful, yet not completely appetizing breakfast, I was allowed out of the bed, I was told to go directly to the living room where I was to get a makeover. My first thought was how bad can this be, they're all little and they can’t do too much damage, can they? WRONG!!

The first thing they wanted to do was rub my legs, feet, arms and face with lotion, at first my body absorbed all of it but after being rubbed down ten different times the lotion began to accumulate on my feet and legs. It just sat there, I had enough body lotion to allow me to slide to Atlanta and then back home again.

Next stop makeup, when they got done with my face, I can honestly say that a clown wears less during a performance. My eye brows were blue and brown ( it looked as if I had two black eyes.) then my blush, oh my goodness streaks of very deep pink went from my chin to my hair line above my cheek bones. My lip stick was a bright flaming red but I drew the line at mascara and eye liner, I wanted to keep my sight intact!

I should have known, however, when they came in with the finger nail polish that I was in trouble!! All ten of my finger and toe nails were each painted a different color. I had ten different shades of pink, red, maroon, purple, blue, and even orange. As Cora, my 3 yr old, at the time, said, I had rainbows on my hands and feet!

My hair of course, was last, after each child took a turn at brushing my hair, (making my scalp hurt for three days after ward) they began to put in tiny hair bows and pony tails. One thing I know for sure, no one ever looked as good as I did with my 50 tiny little pony tails and hair bows. To this day I wish I had taken at least one picture but it is forever preserved in my memory.

When I stood to go to the mirror, I nearly slipped on the lotion that had gathered on my feet. I literally slid all the way to the bathroom to take my first look, but instead of reacting with laughter, tears of joy streamed down my face, messing up my makeup up. The love that went into giving me that make over was so apparent in the proud little beaming faces that stood all around me.

So many doctors had told us, that these little kids were incapable of loving or trusting any one. We had been told that our adoptions would fail because we were adopting children that had Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Reactive Attachment Disorder, Bipolar, impulse control issues, mental retardation, ADHD, Autism, and the list goes on. Our children had been labeled unlovable because of the many disabilities and mental disorders yet my heart swelled with more love than I was capable of. I loved each one of my kids more than I ever thought it possible to love any one. Truth be told, in my heart I know that only God can love them more than I do.

In that one moment, I felt the love radiate off of their little faces; love that these children were supposed to be completely incapable of, and yet they had given me an entire day of pampering, talking, laughter and love. That Mother’s Day was the one that changed my life and my heart, I no longer looked at my children through the eyes of the doctors, psychiatrists, therapists and child welfare workers. I turned my children over to the Lord that day; I dedicated their lives to him. I asked him to make me the best mother I could be and to give me the patience of his servant Job, the Wisdom of Solomon and the Love of Christ. I told him I would raise my children to love him and I would prepare them for a life of service to him.

I cannot say we have not had our ups and downs, or that there have not been days when I truly wondered, “Why exactly do I have eleven children?” BUT I have heard that every mother has days like that. One thing I can say without hesitation is that if given the chance to do it all again, to adopt eleven special needs children and to teach them the love of God and the true love of a mother, I would very loudly proclaim YES I WOULD DO IT ALL AGAIN!



Blessings and Love
Rise'

Hope to see you in two weeks. Tuesday, June 1st to be exact!


Wednesday's Blog: Jennifer Spence "Single Working Mom"