A Better Life

Last night Ryan and I watched "A Knight's Tale". I love that movie for several reasons and I've seen it multiple times. But it's been several years since I saw it last, I don't remember how long. When I was watching last night I was struck by the part where William's father has taken him to the knight to become a squire and they are saying goodbye, maybe for life, they don't know. William's father tells him to go with the knight, to live a better life than he could provide - he tells him it is all he can do for him. As he is telling William this I couldn't help but think of my daughter's birth mom, and all birth parents really. I was thinking about how heart broken he was and how ridiculously hard it must have been to say good bye to his son, and wondering how he could possibly have done that, and then hearing him explain why, that it was the best thing he could do for him. He broke his heart so his son could have a life that he couldn't provide. And that is exactly what birth parents do, they sacrifice their hearts, their happiness, so their child can have a chance for a life they are not currently able to provide. They have enough love, many even would financially be able to support the child, would be able to provide enough. But they want for their child to have more than enough, they want that child to have the best they can possibly find for them. That kind of selfless love is amazing and inspiring to me.
And then I thought about how much trust that father put in the knight that he placed his son with. He had to trust that the knight would provide the life for him that he hoped, that it really would be a better life than he could provide. And so I thought about how humbling it is as an adoptive parent to have someone who has placed that same trust in us. That Cheyenne had to trust us, and continue to trust us, to provide the life for Abby that she sacrificed her heart for.
And being Easter I also think about my Heavenly Father who sent His Son here, so that I can have a better life, a life that matters and will continue throughout eternity, one that I will share eternally with my family. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16
I am grateful for all parents who love enough to sacrifice their hearts! Thank you, thank you, thank you, from the bottom of my heart. I love you!