12 children and the meaning of love

There have been occasions when I feel like all I do on this blog is complain. Partially that’s true. There aren’t many people I’m friends with in real life who want to listen to me yammer on and on about topics like religion and politics. (pretty much the only one, actually, is The Conservative New Ager who basically puts up with me and my conversation topics even when I’m in a bitchy mood and monopolizing the conversation.)

I guess what I’m really trying to say (before I started yammering on again) is that I really need to write about some positive things, because not everything is horrible and sad and annoying. Some things are beautiful and wonderful and loving and we need to take time to celebrate those things or we’ll become mean and cold-hearted.

So today I’m going to write about Steve and Roger Ham and their 12 adopted children.

That’s right. 12 children. I’m not sure how they do it. I think about having 1 or 2 children some day. If I have 2 then the second one won’t be born until the first one is in 7th grade probably. (I’m being pragmatic, baby-sitting is expensive.  This way I have a free baby-sitter for several years.)

Of course, like any parent, Steven says “Sure, there are days when I am ripping my hair out, but I wouldn’t change it for anything,”

This whole story is heart-warming and beautiful. Adoption is not something I’ve ever seriously considered, but reading this just…I don’t know. I’ll let this quote sum my feelings up for me.

“We knew the kids deserved a better life, and someone who would love them, no matter what. None of my kids will ever tell you, any time in their lives, even years from now, that they didn’t feel loved.”

And for a family that started out by adopting one boy from a home where he was neglected (and ending up adopting his 4 siblings as well.) that’s pretty amazing. I don’t think there should ever be a child in this world that grows up not feeling loved. There are far to many of them and I can’t save all of them…I can’t even save 12 of them, but maybe someday… *shrug* who knows.

I’ve got plenty of time to decide that part of my life, but while I’m deciding I hope there are more people like Steve and Roger. If all of the people who say homosexuals can’t be good parents asked these children where they would rather be, an orphanage or foster home or with their new parents, I rather doubt that any of these 12 would want to leave.

Children understand that love has nothing to do with gender, the love of a parent even less so.

Sometimes I think we lose that understanding as we grow up. Sometimes I think I’ve lost that understanding myself. Sometimes I think we should all sit down and let a child teach us the meaning of love, instead of believing we have all the answers.