The Marrying Kind

Our children are adopted from Eastern Europe. Adoption doesn’t define our family, but it is a big part of who we are. We met our youngest daughter when she was five and adopted her when she was six. For her first Christmas, she asked for a baby doll. She had never had her very own. You better bet, my baby got a baby that Christmas. Watching her open that package and love on that baby brings happy tears to my eyes to this day. She adored her new doll and often changed her clothes, rocked her to sleep, carried her around, and fed her portions of her food at mealtime.

One day, she was lovingly working on a swaddle of her baby, and I told her that I was so proud of how well she loved her doll. I went on to tell her that she will make such a wonderful mother one day because of how much love and care she devoted to her doll. Without hesitation, she paused, turned to me with her huge blue eyes and gigantic lashes and said, “Or, I might marry Jesus!” I immediately responded that marrying Jesus would make me so proud too. Out of the mouths of babes!

We are all called to different vocations, and it is such a joy to witness our children discern their life’s calling from the time they are young into adolescence.

Saint Junipero Serra, pray for us!—Patron Saint of vocations