The Meaning

So the shirts were designed and shared. I'm not going to lie, I had some nerves about it. I'm so glad so many people were interested, and offered encouragement. Part of my nerves were that people wouldn't be interested in them because the shirts would be more expensive than the average shirt, or that having a shirt that has #adoption on it would cause them to field a bunch of questions. Basically, I had some hesitancy because of what people think. Silly, I know, but when you step out in faith into something you have no tangible way of making happen without people to help and support you, you get really sensitive to what others think. Maybe that's just me. Dan is really good at being my cheerleader and saying "This is OUR family, and what God has called us to. You should never worry about people accepting this. It's not their journey." Never has "Who cares what people think" mattered more in my life than in this; and never in my life have I been more thankful for the one standing by my side during the emotions of all this. It seems a bit backwards, we are inviting someone into our home to tell us if we are up to the challenge of raising a child, so we do in fact have to care what someone thinks. All that to say, I am so thankful for the support we have received from so many of you. It makes me cry. . .a lot, actually. I know it's easy to look past another fundraiser, or GoFundMe page, but you really are making a tremendous impact on our lives by sharing this and supporting us. Most people don't need help with growing a family, but adoption is built on support. Love literally grows our family.

So to get to my point. The meaning behind these shirts is two-fold. I searched through about a million shirt ideas, templates, fonts, etc. At the end of the day I designed this with a phrase that has meant a lot to me, not just in this current stage of life. Family is everything to me. I am so blessed to have grown up with crazy cousins, uncles, and aunts around to be there for me. I like to call them my small army of support. Like any family, there are a world of differences, but at the end of the day, in the midst of it all, there's love. In so many situations when you get to the very root of everything, love makes the biggest difference. How many millions of songs are written about it? It's this huge powerful thing that is an open door and can break ice curses (yes, that was a Frozen reference). It heals brokenness, it restores, it carries burdens, it isn't proud, it doesn't boast, it is always changing and never-ending and it's what holds things together. It makes a family. DNA or biology means nothing without love. We can share blood with people who have mistreated and abused us, but that doesn't make them our true family. Love does. As I've heard it said by many people: it isn't about where you came from, it's about where you go. It isn't about who you are, but who you're going to be.

The branches have a more simple meaning; we love being outdoors. I love trees, I think they are absolutely one of the coolest things and yes, that is really strange. The two branches remind me of all the people surrounding our family, and growing with us through this.

This child is an incredible gift to this world. The story God is writing for our children is incredible and filled with an anthem of love and hope. I can care all I want about what people think, but the reality is that this is in God's hands. He has our children set apart. We pray for them every single day. His love makes this family.

with grace,

Kal