Inside the Heart of Laura Christianson

Laura Christianson is the author of The Adoption Decision and The Adoption Network. She hosts the award-winning Exploring Adoption blog (www.exploringadoptionblog.com) and is the founder of Heartbeat Ministries, a Seattle-based adoption and infertility support community. She co-owns He Blogs, She Blogs (www.HeBlogsSheBlogs.com), a blogging/writing/marketing business. An adoptive mom since 1992, Laura lives in Snohomish, Washington with her husband and their two sons.

Recently I've had the priviledge of reading Laura's books. George and I have been seeking God's will for us in terms of adoption, and her books have been extrememly helpful in the process. Not only does she explain adoption terms and the process, but her story and heart and passion for adoption is shown in her words.

If you are seeking information on adoption, please check out her books. And if you want to know more about Laura, please read on. :o)

What is one word that evokes passion in you every time you read/hear it?
Adoption. You’d think I’d be kind of tired of that word, considering I’ve written two books, 800+ blog posts, and numerous articles on the subject. Maybe it’s because my husband and I adopted our kids, but adoption and everything related to it is near and dear to my heart. I love to serve as an encourager and an information conduit for others who are considering building a family through adoption or making an adoption plan for their child.

Describe yourself through your husband’s eyes and heart.
I had to stare deeply into my husband’s eyes for this one, repeat the question to him four times (because he was busy watching Matlock on the Hallmark channel) and threaten him with bodily harm if he didn’t say something nice! (Just kidding about the bodily harm part; he’s way bigger than me). He said that he is my first love, but writing is my second love. He says I’m quiet and unassuming, with a strong desire and zeal to do my best at everything I do. He adds that I care about other people and empathize with them, and, that after 25+ years of marriage, I’m still not only in love with him, but that we’re best friends.

Which fictional character do you despise most?
I’m going to change this question because I can’t think of any characters I dislike, except maybe Mr. Collins in Pride & Prejudice. He is a real piece of work! On the other hand, my favorite fictional character is Elizabeth Bennett, also from Pride & Prejudice. She’s a spunky woman ahead of her time who will settle for no less than true love. She genuinely cares for her sister, Jane, and for their somewhat eccentric father (not to mention the exceedingly wealthy and handsome Mr. Darcy). While she’s a bit rash immature, and judgmental, Elizabeth is oh-so-real. She shines brightly through the pages of my favorite novel of all time.

Describe the way it feels to watch your children sleep.
I love to watch my boys sleep, even though they’re 15 and 12 years old now. We were on vacation recently and my sons were sharing a hide-a-bed. Every morning, I’d sneak up to them and snap their photo while they were sleeping. They’d be all snuggled up together, looking so peaceful and innocent. I wish they’d act that way while they’re awake!

If God granted you one thing to change about this world, what would it be?
Poverty (don’t I sound like a Miss America contestant?). Seriously, though…I’ve visited Haiti a couple of times on short-term mission trips and was heartbroken by the extreme poverty in which so many people live. Those trips changed the way I view the world. I try not to whine about little inconveniences, such as potholes in roads (because I know that the best road in Haiti is in far, far worse condition than the worst road in the U.S.).

I’m committed to doing what I can to create awareness of the plight of the 150 million orphans worldwide. Many of those children are orphaned because their families face such extreme poverty that they can’t afford to care for another child. Or the parents have died of AIDS, so orphaned pre-teen children sell their own bodies, just to get a handful of rice to fill their stomachs.

My heartfelt wish is that every American would have an opportunity to visit a third world country, to experience firsthand the poverty that the majority of the world’s people suffer. It truly is convicting, and I believe that if we all had that experience, poverty would not be as prevalent as it now is.

What is your biggest insecurity?
Fear of being unprepared for a speaking presentation (teaching a workshop, being a guest on a radio or TV show, pitching my services to a prospective client). After the fact, I always look back on these events and say, “I loved doing that!” But the days, hours, and minutes leading up to presentations are sweaty-palmed, heart-palpitating, and stomach churning.

If you could re-live one moment in your life, what would it be?
The moment I first laid eyes on my sons. After so many years of yearning to have children, experiencing the “birth” of our family (through adoption) is a moment I will always treasure. I wish I could recapture that breathless feeling of fulfillment, completeness, and utter euphoria every time I see my sons.

What is the last book that made you cry?
I have this strange case of amnesia – I forget the content of books and movies the day after I finish reading them. And I rarely cry when I read books. The last book I remember getting teary-eyed over is The Island, by Victoria Hislop. I read that one in November of 2007…28 books ago (yes, I keep a list of books I’ve read). So it must have packed a pretty good punch if I remember crying over it.

Describe your typical Wednesday.
Roll out of bed, pull on my grungy sweats, and get my 6th grader off to school. Do my Bible study, work out for 45 minutes, take a shower, pour a cup of coffee, and settle down in my home office to put in a day’s work. Send panicked e-mails to Ashley’s hubby, George, begging him to tweak the design of one of our client’s blogs (I co-own a blogging/writing/marketing business, www.HeBlogsSheBlogs.com). Put out fires, keep my clients happy, and cross as many items as possible off my “to do” list. Eat a bagel, usually somewhere around 2 p.m., because I get so immersed in my projects that I forget to eat.

Greet my kids and hubby when they arrive home from school. Pester my boys to do their homework and hound them for spending too much time playing Guitar Hero III. Beg to try Guitar Hero myself and live out my rock star fantasies while strumming “Baracuda,” “Hit Me With Your Best Shot,” and “School’s Out” (you gotta love Alice Cooper; I used to own that LP album—you know, those ancient relics my kids call “big, black CDs”).

Remind the boys to clean their room. Remind them for the third—or was it fifth?—time to do their homework. Try to find time to write and post an entry on my Exploring Adoption blog (www.exploringadoptionblog.com).

Fix dinner. I hate to cook so we always eat Dream Dinners (www.dreamdinners.com). Read the paper, laugh at Gilligan’s Island, Brady Bunch, and Leave it to Beaver DVDs with my family, and then put the kids to bed (my 12-year-old requires a back massage before he can fall asleep).

Crawl into bed, exhausted, around 11 p.m. and fall asleep after reading four pages of a novel.

What is the best thing about being a mother and wife?

I love being around boys (including one grown up boy). Even our dog and cat—recently deceased—were boys, albeit neutered ones. The testosterone does get quite deep around here, but there’s never a dull moment. I always thought I wanted to have girls, but I’ve changed my mind. Boys are way cool. There’s nothing better than having one hug me and hearing him say, “I love you.”

Thanks for stopping by Laura. Your heart is beautiful and I pray that beauty would continue to glorify God and stir passion within others for adoption.