Adoption Training #1

Over the last two days, Andy and I have had CORE training, training the state of Colorado requires adoptive parents to have. Colorado requires all adoptive parents to have 16 hours of CORE I and for international adoptions you also have to have 8 hours of CORE II. This was such an encouraging time for me because we were able to meet many other couples who are building their families through adoption. We even met a few other couple who are adopting from Africa. It was such a great time to learn more about adopting and to connect with others. I am hoping that the couples we met at this training can become some great friendships as we go through this process.
The last part of our training was really interesting...they had three birth mothers come and talk to us about their experience relinquishing their babies for adoption. These women were so brave. Brave to be able to speak to a room of 50 adoptive parents, and brave to know that their children would have more opportunities if they were adopted. These women loved their babies so much that they did what is best for the babies. I know that situations in Africa or China or other countries in the world are different for birth mothers, but that love is still the same. Our family is honored with the responsibility of taking care of and loving a child from another country and from another family...what an amazing privilege...I can't wait.