Why adoption?

Whenever I tell someone we are adopting, I never get the question "why?" out loud, but I often get it in the look they give...you know what I mean. Why not just have your own? Why Ukraine? Why a toddler?...the list goes on. I know people are thinking this, but not wanting to ask and risk sounding insensitive. So, I'm writing to answer these questions in a nutshell. The story of our calling to adoption is lengthy and for another time, but the nutshell version is here!
Why adopt? We felt the Lord put a desire for a third child on our hearts. I have high-risk pregnancies, plus I'm 34 (for a few more days anyway!). We had a baby girl 8 years ago who was stillborn, and we feel that since we have grieved the loss of a daughter, we have been equipped to help heal a child that has grieved parents. We believe adoption is one of those things people are called to do by God specifically. Orphans are so important to the Lord, and we believe he has chosen us to take one into our home and make her ours. We are confident that God wouldn't call us to this purpose without fulling equipping us along the way. We feel honored and priveledged to receive such a calling. It's a way for us to bring good out of the tragedy of losing a child, as well as a way to bring great joy into our family!
Why Ukraine? Honestly, we both just felt drawn to this country. We also looked into Russia, but at the time, it seemed to be a mess and it is super expensive. Just too much uncertaintly, and we didn't have peace about it. When we started looking into Ukraine, we saw that we would have the option to adopt independently (without a US agency), which we were very interested in (cut out the middle man and deal with the country directly). The time spent in Ukraine (about a month, give or take, with a 10-day waiting period in the middle, which we will come home during) is also time spent with your perspective child in the orphanage. We read many stories of parents bringing fruit, snacks, bubbles, clothing, etc to the orphanage...making it a time of really blessing the children and their caregivers. This really appealed to us - made it seem like a sort of mission experience in addition to an adoption trip. Ukraine has a relatively short adoption time-frame (at least lately) - about 9-10 months from start to finish if all goes as planned (which, in international adoption, you can never be sure!). Also in Ukraine, you choose your child from files you are shown at the adoption office in Kiev. Then you go and meet the child and make your official acceptance. We are praying that the Lord makes it very clear to both of us which child is to be ours! :)
Why a toddler? We will not come home with a baby. In Ukraine, the youngest you can adopt is about 14-18months old. This is because they have to stay on the Ukraine adoption registry for 12 months before they can be released to the international adoption registry (pluse a handful of months to get them actually in the system). It is more likely that we will come home with a 2 or 3 year old. This is great for us because she will be closer in age to our boys (who will be 5 and 7 at the time we adopt). We have requested a girl 4 or under, and since we choose when we get there, we will not know her age or anything about her until we get there. This makes for some whirlwind shopping when we return! I think I'm up for the challenge. :)

We can't wait to bring her home!

This is one of the scriptures God has given me for our future daughter...
The spirit of the Lord is upon me...
to provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness
instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a planting of the LORD
for the display of his splendor.
Isaiah 61:3