Do you have a fearless mom in your life - one who has overcome incredible odds, or goes above and beyond the "normal" call of duty of a mother? I have one. She's a good friend of mine, one I've written about before.
Kristin doesn't have any major illnesses in her own life that she's overcome. But she is fearless in her own way. She has given birth to four biological children, having difficult pregnancies each time but still continuing to have kids because that's what she and her husband feel called to do. Her kids have each had their own minor difficulties, including issues with nursing, gaining weight, and low muscle tone. She's had to deal with children in the NICU and speech therapy. Raising four children is courageous enough - but she and her husband have also decided to adopt. Adopting is a huge decision to make, especially when there are several children at home - but even more so since she and her husband have chosen to adopt special-needs children from China. Not just one, but two (they are currently awaiting final travel approval for their second one).
Kristin also amazes me by how unselfish she is. In our Mom's Bible study, her prayers are more often for family members or friends with struggles. She shares news about her family, but even when it's negative news, it's shared in a positive light. And she is always genuinely concerned about the struggles the rest of us are facing too. Even her Christmas letters shine with warmth, with the family top ten including things like dental bills for orthodontist work - written with humor and appreciation for the blessings they've received. And yet, she manages to avoid the I'm-so-happy-I'm-annoying stage that can sometimes happen when people are overly chipper about everything. She just seems so genuinely pleased with everything, and appreciative of what she and her family does.
And, to top it all of, her birthday cakes look professionally made. Somehow, in the midst of it all, she manages to be an excellent cook who still takes time to pay attention to visual details as well. She's the kind of woman I'd love to hate, because she's so amazing, if I didn't love her so much.
You can read about Kristin's family and get a sense of her humor at her blog, Trying to Control the Chaos. I highly recommend it to anyone who is anywhere in the process of adoption, raising a large family, or trying to see the bright side of life.
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