Stuck

There's currently a documentary out entitled "Stuck". "Stuck" follows families as they deal with the struggles of international adoption, in particular adoption from Vietnam, Ethiopia, and Haiti. Although, we are not adopting from any of these countries, I was still hesitant to watch it. I've known about it for quite some time, yet, I had thus far managed to avoid it. I was afraid. Afraid I'd be upset. Afraid that we might have to struggle as these families have struggled. Just downright afraid.

Today I watched "Stuck".

First of all, I realized that Bulgaria is not Ethiopia, Vietnam, or Haiti. It is its own country with its own unique set of challenges.

Second, I realized that watching the documentary neither lessens or increases our own personal struggle. We've been waiting almost 32 months. Y'all that just four months shy of four pregnancies . . . granted they'd be back to back pregnancies . . . yes, we've struggled. The paperwork is a struggle. The wait is a struggle. And joyful though it may be, parenting, in its own right, will sometimes (a lot of times, ha!) be a struggle.

"Stuck" resonated with me even though our story is and will be different. There were so many parts with which I could identify. So much I understood not just with my head but with my heart. It reminded me of why we are doing this. It goes so far beyond saving an orphan. I watched it alone which was good because I may have had a few moments where I ugly cried. I have never learned the art of crying gracefully.

If you want to understand a little bit more about international adoption and what families go through on this journey, I encourage you to watch "Stuck". It is on both Netflix Instant and Amazon Prime. Just make sure you have a box of tissues handy. You're going to need them.