A Call to Motherhood
Holding my precious baby in my arms, I look down at him and wondered; “could I love an adopted child as much as I love this little boy?” I would soon find out.
One month after having our first child Matthew and I had an impression to look into foster care/adoption. The thought would not leave my mind. I researched all the agencies around on one stood out, after signing up for the required parent training, that feeling of urgency vanished.
We casually started looking at children available for and then we came across Stephen’s profile – active, needs structure, and other vague descriptions screaming “THIS BOY HAS AUTISM” – We both knew immediately that this was our son.
We were terrified, I had earned a masters degree in Special Education and had taught 3 years in a self-contained classroom, so I knew what we would be getting into. My husband was scared but trusted in my abilities, and in the feelings we both had received, we knew that we had to go forward no matter how difficult it seemed.
The class started. The training was a 10 week course, on the second week a lady came and mentioned a few particular children they were trying to place. One of those children was Stephen. When I asked about him you couldn’t miss the excitement in her eyes with the possibility that someone wanted Stephen even with his challenges.
A few weeks later we went to a team meeting, and they told us about Stephen. They also said if we were really serious that they would take his profile down; they had received so many calls for a cute little 5 year old boy that ended in, “oh, he is autistic, I don’t think we could handle that.” 
So in August Stephen moved in. February: Stephen was officially adopted May: we completed the adoption spiritually by going to the Temple to have Stephen sealed to us, so that we can be together forever. August: we had our 3rd child, a little girl. After three children in 16 months, my world became a roller coaster.
So now as a struggling mother of 3 I am learning a lot and I have to learn it fast. I am learning that mothering is HARD. I am learning that you can love your children even though they show you all your weaknesses and those weaknesses are many. I’m learning that children love and forgive in an amazing way.
I am learning despite my getting upset at the little things, saying no when there is no reason to say no, wanting to do what I want rather than; read a story, crawl through a tunnel, push a swing, dance around the house, play cars, or anything else that requires me to put my children above myself, that all my children want is mom.
I am learning that “children are an heritage of the Lord (Psalms 127:3).” These three little children were His children first; I have been called by God to take care of them, to love them, to protect them, to teach them, to play with them, and to bring them safely home to Him.
Raising an adopted son with autism has its challenges, but so does every aspect of being a mother. I love all three of my children, the fact that Stephen was adopted doesn’t run through my mind, he is my son. I am his mom. Being a mother is a calling from God, a sacred and the most important calling I will ever have.
Story written by: Trista
This story appeared first on Real Imprints.
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