Winds whistled around the house and gusts whipped our trees surrounding it. These gusty 40-50 miles per hour winds have become common where we live and frequently cause damage to large trees in our yard, with medium- and small-sized branches being blown off the trees. (Thankfully, we haven’t had tornadoes or hurricanes where we live in the last twenty years!) Branches lay scattered all over our lawn, and we have to pick them up and dispose of them.

Thankfully, the trees themselves are mature enough that no major damage is done. They stand defiant to the winds blowing around them. The number of branches blown off seem not to affect the tree when spring finally comes and the trees start budding and growing. Only the weaker branches seem to be vulnerable to the winds, but lacking sap in them during the winter makes them weak in comparison to the major branches and the trunk.

Given the frequency of these winds, we anticipate some damage each time they come. This is not unlike our adoption. We expected everything to turn out just fine with our adopted sons, and yet we quickly found out that there would be challenges we did not anticipate. For a few years, these challenges would be like the winds, blowing and leaving debris to clean up. These winds of adversity came in all sizes, shapes, and forms, but we learned to navigate through them. In the process, we became stronger as parents and more bonded as a family, able to rebound from difficulty without feeling completely overwhelmed.

The pruning that occurred as a result of these winds of hardship also taught us to strengthen the important parts of our relationships with one another. In the process, we shed preferences and habits that were not contributing to our overall cohesiveness. We found that spending time with one another and trying to make positive memories for our sons, for example, was a key way for us to express love to them.

In what ways do you feel that the winds of adversity are blowing around you now? How will this strengthen your resolve to make your adoption successful? Please comment in the comment box below.