My favorite picture....

This picture was taken hours before our sweet Collier was born.  It is one of my favorite pictures, I wish I had planned on taking it, I would have dressed better for the occasion.  Oh well, such is life, right? I plan to order this image in a 30x30 to hang in our bedroom.  I love it.  I feel like it shows the love between our sweet kiddos before they even all knew each other.

They were all so excited about meeting their new baby brother.  The funny thing about being an adoptive family, and then having a biological child at the end is that the kiddos had no idea what to expect.  I remember when I found out the gender, Emory and I were so excited to tell the kiddos that they would have another brother.  Mina was less than thrilled.  She had put an order in for a girl, and she didn't quite understand why we went out and got the opposite.

Our world revolves around adoption here in the Lott home.  The majority of our children were brought to us through adoption, I own an adoption company and my kids hear adoption a million times a day.  They hear me talking to clients about their preferences, what race child, what gender, what exposures, etc.  My kids know adoption, the idea of biological children is foreign to them.  I am perfectly fine with that.  I want adoption to be our "normal".

My kiddos always hear me allowing people to tell me what they want in their child, so naturally, they assumed that they would be able to pick as well.  Throughout the entirety of my pregnancy, the kiddos would place their orders.  We want a brown baby girl, we want a mixed baby girl, we want this, we want that, etc.  They placed their orders, and they expected us to oblige.

Emory and I tried to explain to the kiddos that we don't get to choose, that things work a little differently when the baby comes straight from my tummy.  I didn't want to get into the birds and the bees, but I also didn't want them to be disappointed when Collier popped out WHITE and MALE.  The kids never could understand.  Thankful that they loved him no matter what, they loved him just as much as they would have if he bad been a brown baby girl like they ordered!  :)

I am so thankful that I have this picture.  It reminds me of all the memories of being pregnant and anticipating Collier's arrival.  This picture shows God's goodness and that His plan is always better than our own.  I am so grateful that the Lord flipped our lives upside down and commanded us to adopt. I am so thankful that He gave us the opportunity to have 2 biological children as well.  Most of all, I am so thankful that He adopted me. Thankful that He has written such a beautiful story for each of one our children.  HE IS GOOD.