Why Adoption Will Always Have My Heart

☕️Wednesday, July 15, 2026

Good morning, friend.

There are certain parts of our lives that become woven into who we are. Even as the years pass and life changes, those experiences continue shaping the way we see the world. For me, adoption will always be one of those things.

Many of you know that Matt and I were blessed to adopt our boys. What some of you may not know is that after we adopted Clayton, I had the opportunity to work in adoption for four years. Looking back, those years remain some of the most meaningful of my career. I had the privilege of walking alongside families who had prayed for a child for years. I watched hopeful parents complete mountains of paperwork, endure long periods of waiting, experience disappointment, and then finally receive the phone call they had been dreaming about. There is something incredibly special about watching a family become whole.

• I miss those days more than I sometimes realize.

• I miss answering questions.

• I miss encouraging families through the waiting.

• I miss watching children find forever homes.

Perhaps that’s why adoption is still so close to my heart. It isn’t simply part of my past. It’s part of who I am. As I’ve been praying about the future of Three Hearts Keepsakes, I keep coming back to that passion. I’ve been thinking about creating an adoption section on my website where I can share resources, encouragement, and information for families who are considering adoption or are already walking that journey. If something I’ve experienced can make someone else’s path a little easier, then I want to share it.

While reading Scripture this week, I couldn’t help but think about how often the Bible uses the beautiful picture of adoption.

“Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself…”

Ephesians 1:5 (KJV)

What an incredible reminder that adoption wasn’t our idea first. It was God’s. When I think about our own family’s story, I can see His hand in every chapter. There were moments when I didn’t understand His timing. There were days when the waiting felt long and discouraging. Yet looking back now, I wouldn’t change a single part of the journey because every step prepared us for the family God had planned all along. Sometimes the passions God places in our hearts never leave us because He isn’t finished using them.

Maybe you’ve experienced that too. Perhaps there’s something you’ve always loved, a burden you’ve always carried, or a dream that keeps finding its way back into your heart no matter how much time passes. Don’t ignore those gentle reminders. God often uses the desires He places within us to point us toward the work He still has for us to do.

As I finish my coffee this morning, I’m thankful for every adoptive family, every foster family, every birth parent who made an incredibly difficult decision, and every child who found a place to belong. Those stories remind me that love isn’t measured by biology alone. Love is measured by commitment, sacrifice, and the willingness to say, “You belong here.”

I’d love to hear from you today:

Has God ever placed a passion on your heart that has stayed with you through every season of your life? I’d enjoy hearing your story.

Until tomorrow…

Keep your coffee warm, your Bible close, and your eyes open for the blessings God places in your path today.

I’ll meet you back here tomorrow—with another cup of coffee and another conversation.

❤️ Mandy

Three Hearts Keepsakes