Submission

The word "submit" has a negative connotation for many people, but this is the word used in Ephesians 5:22-33. "Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord." When someone objects to that verse, I remind them that three verses later it says, "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her." If someone is showing you sacrificial love like Christ showed us on the cross, it should be easier to submit to that person. My husband has a very laid back personality. Although he has very strong opinions when it comes to topics such as politics, he rarely is assertive in our every day lives. One thing he felt very strongly about was that we should homeschool our children. I am ever so grateful that he asked me to do this with our children.

Nine years ago my husband wanted us to pursue ivf. I am a very conservative person when it comes to money, and I viewed ivf as a several thousand dollar lottery ticket. I kept pushing for adoption. I knew adoption was also not cheap, but I didn't view it as a financial gamble. After losing many thousands of dollars pursuing domestic and then international adoption for 2.5 years, I finally agreed to pursue ivf. Our three rounds of ivf resulted in three children. I had a friend whose experience was exactly the opposite of mine. Her husband wanted to pursue adoption, but she wanted to pursue fertility treatments. After they spent tens of thousands of dollars on various medical procedures, they pursued adoption and within weeks of starting their home study a newborn baby was placed in their arms. As I hold my children in my arms, I am ever so grateful I followed my husband's direction and pursued ivf, and my friend is the mother of two precious boys as a result of newborn adoption.