[lapabraham]

Greetings,

My husband and I just signed a "Consent to Adopt" for a 14 year old and a 12 year old. The court hearing will be in 4 - 6 weeks.

We have spoken too and verbally invited family and friends to the hearing. We would like to follow up with a written invitation.

Does anyone have ideas on how to word this type of invitation? We'd like to include the time/date/place with a lunch or dinner that will follow based on the time of the hearings.

We are Christian's and will be including this type of verbage:

"Scripture shows us God's concern and compassion for orphans. Adoption is the most loving and permanent way to care for these children. So that they may understand that their lives may now be a story of love that was conceived in our hearts!"

Any ideas out there?

Thanks much,
Laura

[Boulderbabe]

It's so wonderful to invite friends and family to the hearing. I have friends who just went the two of them and the baby. I was like, "What? And miss the chance to celebrate like a crazy lady??" I made a huge splash of it---it was the best day of my life and I wanted to mark it.

That said, I wonder if calling your children "orphans" is the best thing to do. If they are 14 and 12, were they brought into the foster care system at an age where they remember their birth family? If so, calling them "orphans" will be negating people who---whatever their faults and deficiencies---are an important part of your kids lives and pasts. To *them,* they may have two sets of parents and aren't orphans at all.

I also wonder if your wording doesn't sound a little like the adoption is an act of charity and not being done out your own desire to love and be loved (which I'm sure is the case.)

So how about something like, "Please join Laura and Sam as they adopt their son, John, and their daughter, Jane, and celebrate the miracle by which God has made them a forever family." Would that work?

[lapabraham]

Thanks for your input Boulderbabe. You have worded it nicely.

FYI - birthparents are deceased. We are dealing with alot of issues relative to that, as well as trust and lying.

They were in foster care since 09/05. "Family" was trying to take care of them, but really made a mess of things and were deamed unfit for parents.

We meet them in 05/06 and they moved in with us in 07/06. We did not exprience a honeymoon phase which I am thankful for. They dug their heels in right away and we had "issues" from day one.

Thank-you,
Laura

[Boulderbabe]

Oh, so your kids really *are* orphans! (That's actually pretty rare!)

I bet your kids have been through an awful lot. Congratulations to all of you for hanging in there and coming together as a family.

I hope you can find a wording for your invitation that really celebrates the present and the future, and leaves the past a little bit in the shadows. It really is a wonderful miracle whenever a family is formed!

Cheers,
Boulderbabe

[mrsred]

I made the invitations on my computer. Our adoption party invitation read:
outside of card had picture of daughter and underneath said Jxxx, Kxxxx, Jxxxxx and Exxxxx invite you to join us
(inside) for an Open House celebrating the addition of Txxxxx to our family
December 9, 2006 from 4:00 - 9:00 PM, at our home
xxxxx XXth Ave SE
Xxxxx, Washington
On the back of the card I had driving instuctions to our home.

[Vitality08]

Is the term orphan from the bible verse? Maybe you use the NIV version you can get a more up to date translation of the verse so it doesn't seem so harsh.

There's another verse that says something like "those who take a child in my name, takes me" or something like that. They may be a good one. Let's see if I can find that verse.

[mrsred]

Vitality08 is referring to Matthwe 18:5 - Whoever receives ones such child in my name receives me...

[Miracle4Momma]

Please don't use the term "orphan" in writing, especially in a formal invitation to the adoption court hearing. That comes across self-serving, and undermines the miracle of what you've done for them. They have enough labels on them. It comes across as pity, and that's not fair to them. I try very hard NOT to define my four adopted children in certain ways, although it's difficult at times with the fact that they are older (like yours) and obviously have not always been with me.

I recently finalized (as a single parent no kids myself) the adoption of a sibling set of four precious children (5, 8, 10, 13)....AND i homeschool all 4!

God bless...

[christianadoption]

Originally Posted by mrsred

Vitality08 is referring to Matthwe 18:5 - Whoever receives ones such child in my name receives me...

James 1:27 also uses this term...other versions, I belive, say "fatherless" instead...