A Love Story

 Source:  bethtrissel.wordpress.com

I was going to post something controversial today.  I typed it all up but since I'm not that type of Blogger or person, I'll sit on it and probably never publish it.

Instead I'm going to tell you a love story.  G and I have several single friends, or friends with hard marriages.  Before a year ago, we didn't have any single friends so this has been a really eye-opening year.  As a result, we've done a lot of talking and reading and thinking about love and what makes a marriage work.  Through all the work we've done, we've grown more together than I ever thought possible. Previously, I honestly thought people who were madly in love were either a little delusional, too old to remember the hard times, or lying.  I am realizing that people who are madly in love have overcome hard times.

I have a friend, Scott, who's wife died this summer of ALS.  Before her death he cared for her and their two young daughters as her health deteriorated.  ALS is a brutal disease and this experience was devastating to his family.  Before her diagnosis, his house burned down.  Before the house burned down his daughter was diagnosed with inoperable cancer.  That daughter also has cerebral palsy.  Thankfully, his daughter is alive and still fighting.  Scott's life has been one series of heartbreaks right after another.

I know Scott because he is one of the most well-known and well-loved adoption attorneys in Oregon.  I organize several adoption trainings a year and frequently use him as a speaker.  I was initially impressed by Scott because of his love for his family -- his wife and two daughters -- and for adoption. Adoption law is the only type of law he does.  But the more I get to know him, I became especially impressed by his faith in God.  It's his relationship with God that makes him so devoted to his own family and to working so hard at a career creating families.

Despite all his sorrows, his life has taken another unexpected turn.  This time he has good news!  Scott found love again and was married to a beautiful woman on Saturday.  I was terribly disappointed because our Wicked tickets were at the exact same time as his wedding.  Talk about bad luck!  So I've been reading all the accounts I can of the wedding on blogs and on facebook trying to feel like I was there.

Listen to this!  His new wife has two daughters and Scott has two daughters and they had planned to join the families not only through marriage but through adoption.  Because Scott is awesome and has connections, an adoption judge came to the wedding and as part of the marriage ceremony finalized their children's adoptions.  Reading this brought tears to my eyes.  I have never heard of such an incredible adoption story. 

Marriage is good.  Adoption is good.  Families are good.

Another friend of Scott's (another adoptive parent) wrote a poem about their wedding.  It is very inspirational.  You should read it.  Go here.  And hopefully I don't need to remind you, but you should also be reading this blog daily.