Guest Blogger-Susie Telesha

My name is Susie and I have had the privilege of giving birth to two “cookie cutter kids” (or as my adopted kids call them the “bios”) and also God gave us three “store bought cookie kids” (they refer to themselves as the adopties). As you can tell, my kids are comical. lol! We moved into a 5 bedroom home nearly 6 years ago with our one year old daughter, Maggie. Within a year and a half all the rooms had filled up. We have a sibling set, Xavier, our oldest, came at fifteen and he is nearly 21 and is a junior at Kutztown University studying to be an emotional support teacher. He also works as a mentor for Valley Youth House, trying to help other kids that are coming up through the system in foster care. He also speaks at trainings for Children and Youth Staff providing them with the perspective of what it is like to be taken into care and removed from your home as a teen. Xavier also sits on the “Youth Advisory Board” with many leaders in our community to help make decisions for those in care.
Jayden is eighteen and at Lackawanna Jr. College studying Criminal Justice. She appears to be trying to find who she is. We started our journey with her at 11years old and she was actually the first one. She had been in our Children’s Church and was removed from her home because she had been sexually abused. We almost immediately knew we wanted to take her home with us.
Zachi is twelve years old and is in the last stages of his fight with cancer. They discovered his cancer when he was seven and in a boy’s home. His behaviors were intense, but he needed special care once they discovered the cancer. We were the only recourse besides his father who had not been out of prison long. We took him and it has been a crazy yet amazing journey with him. His father did well for awhile but then, began using drugs and he ended up murdering the mother of all three of the kids. My kids were ripped apart emotionally. We kept seeking and serving the Lord and with lots of prayer and lots of therapy. They all three are doing well.
Sounds like a sweet story but there have been horrible points in the journey. There have been really dark days. But it was all worth it. They are great kids.

Also, our “bios” have been radically changed. They don’t remember life without, “Bubby, Sissy, and GuyGuy”. Maggie is now nearly seven and a very compassionate loving kiddo. She absolutely loves reading the Word of God. We also call her the “nurse” because she loves helping Zachi. When the hospice nurse comes to flush Zachi’s port, Maggie gets gloved up and assists the nurse. Soren is only two and we are still watching him develop his little personality. He has brought such joy in such a hard time.

I think the thing I have learned is that “I don’t know much”. Seriously, when I was younger I thought I had it figured out, (lol) but no one person does. My kids have different perspectives and experiences that change the way they look at life and I often don’t understand. I have really learned to say, “I’m sorry” a lot. All of my children have taught us so much. The answer to everything is prayer, love. The Lord has been the changing factor in all of us. I am so blessed that God doesn’t give up on us. I recently was challenged about saying,”God doesn’t give us more than we can bear.” I had said that phrase all my life and truly believed that. But a dear friend of mine who also is an adoptive parent of two beautiful boys. She told me that life absolutely has challenges more than we can bear. BUT GOD is faithful, BUT GOD is able, But God is Bigger and in our weakness His strength is perfected. Some people when overwhelmed turn to different vices. Choose to turn to Christ he will give what you have need of. One family member of mine once indicated that maybe I needed to stop and look at things, during a conversation where I was baring my soul. It felt as if they thought I had taken on too much. Whatever they meant from that conversation…..I am not sure. But I began to think about the disciples and how they lived their life. If I read my Bible right, it wasn’t always pretty, it wasn’t always easy, but it was right and it was worth it.

Adoption is not always easy, it’s not always pretty. But when you see them as an adult fulfilling God’s call on their lives……it is so worth it.