Red Thread

My learning journey has diverged.  It has a little to do with technology, some to do with reading and writing.  Mostly, it's about something that has changed my family's lives, my perspective, my writing and musings, celebrating the small moments, and making a difference.

I have big news...we will soon be a family of FIVE!!!  No, I'm not pregnant.  We are adopting an Eastern European princess.  She has chestnut hair, chocolate eyes, she turned 3 this month,  and is chromosomally enhanced.  She has Down syndrome and was most likely given up at birth because of her diagnosis.

On the last day of school  my RED THREAD journey began and would continue over the summer months until we committed to adoption the day before school began:)  Before I began writing our story, I found this quote:  "An invisible red thread connects those who are destined to meet, regardless of time, place, or circumstance. The thread may stretch or tangle, but will never break." - Chinese proverb.  Then, I learned that it was a book, and immediately bought it as a keepsake for our journey.  I've used this book many times when I've been asked to speak about our story.  It's touching, the illustrations breathtaking, and every soul, young and old, can understand the message.  Even if you are not adopting, the Red Thread message is for all life experiences.  We are all connected some way, somehow.

 I've read  many books on adoption, orphans, and Down syndrome.  Mostly, my heart has been captivated by the community of bloggers advocating, celebrating, and sharing their world through a different "lens" than you or I.  Because so many stepped out of their comfort zone to write, other lives are being changed.  More and more are learning about Down syndrome and stepping out in faith to adopt a special needs child.   This network has reached out to us across the globe.  Once the beginning of our story was written, we've received an outpouring of thoughts, kind words, promises of conversations to come, and the knowledge that all we need to do is send out an SOS email, and we'll have a plethora of responses.  So much love, so much joy, so much celebration!!

I've learned more about Facebook, but needed to stop Twitter.  My focus has mostly been writing our story on our family blog, continually tracking down important papers, and preparing our home for our new arrival, all the while continuing with my "school" work.  We've been busy, blessed, and these last two months have gone by in a blur. 

We are all on learning journeys.  Some continue on a straight path. Some diverge.  Some take on a whole different journey.  Our mission is to  travel a path, one foot in front of the other, going forward.  We all have the need to learn something.

Our threads may stretch, tangle, weave, but they will never, ever break.