The last couple of years have really begun to shape my life, my family, and my faith in new and unexpected ways. I am not who I was when I first began at the Better Mom, 3 years ago. I guess that's a good thing, right?

Motherhood still remains my writing focus simply because it has required so much of me that just does not come naturally. It is a very sacrificial role and it taught me I am much more selfish than I ever anticipated. But God is working in me and teaching me.

Our journey over the last two years through the adoption process has taught me something of patience, waiting on God, trusting His timing, clinging to hope like I'd never known before, and faith in His purpose.

Adoption is motherhood taken to a new level. It requires giving of yourself in capacities that might be greater than the needs of biological children. You might say adopted children have special needs based on the loss and trauma they have faced in their life. Often, they do not know how to process this and certain "triggers" will induce a less than stellar behavior. These behaviors or reactions aren't merely a child acting naughty for the sake of naughtiness. It's a coping mechanism and they need to learn new ways to cope.

Like me, they are clay who need to be re-molded. As an adopted child of God, I recognize behaviors in myself triggered by my circumstances. Will I simply act out or allow God to use them to mold me into something better?

Motherhood is a molding process...whether you have adopted children, special needs children, biological children or a mix of them all. God is molding me so I can mold them.

I need to allow myself to be pliable so He can work with me.

I am a mother and I am clay. I am His workmanship and daily I desire to offer myself to Him as such. I desire to offer myself to my children as a mother who serves and nurtures them because I love them...not merely because it's my "job".

Being a mother is a gift. It truly is. And I will be honest and say I often take it for granted because sometimes I struggle to see past the endless demands, needs, cleaning, and hardships of motherhood. But motherhood was never promised as an easy position.

So, who am I? I am a wife of 13 years to an incredible man. For me, marriage comes easier than motherhood. I think maybe it has to do with sheer numbers. I only have one husband to understand, learn from, and give to. I have seven children, who are all different personalities, have different needs, and are different ages. It's not as easy to keep up with. ;)

I am the mother of seven children...five born of my womb, two born of my heart, yet no less my children.

I am a writer.

I am clay in the hands of my Father.

I am Christin.