this is the story of a family.

 Love.

The Pell family was comfortable until love came along and starting changing the plans. It is a difficult thing to explain, the way love helped us rethink our notion of family. But it happened, and now we (Emma, John and Sarah) are on a journey, a journey to find our son or daughter in Ethiopia. 

Care for the widow and orphans. 

It sounds simple when you imagine Jesus referring to social programs. But what happens when you hear the word orphan, and you hear a voice calling out "Where are you Mom and Dad?" What does it mean that love can so drastically change you that you can't imagine your family being complete without a person you have never met that lives on the other side of the world? 

Our family.

A few months ago this simply meant the people in the pictures that look like us. But now, family is more than biology or blood - family is an expression of Jesus' heart for the world. Family, as we have come to understand it, is place where we learn to be loved and learn how to love. Family looks different than the family portraits at Sears. 

This is the story of a family, a family desperately trying to find all of its parts, even if they live across the ocean. So many  people we meet share the same feelings as us - knowing that your son or daughter is out there, without you...waiting to find you. Our hope, as you read about our journey through adoption, is that you will join the growing list of people taking serious the pull on their hearts to find their children through the adoption process. This site is a place to share with others your thoughts about adoption, about life, about family, and about what it means to be human in a world so in need of love. Check back frequently - we will be adding continuously to this story. 

We also want this site to be a resource for those thinking about adoption, and therefore in the next few weeks we will be posting entries about our journey up to this point, which should help answer questions about beginning the adoption process. 

Adoption is a long journey, and we will need the support of all of those who have become our family. We hope you will stay with us along the way, and in the midst of challenges we hope you will remind us that adoption  is a long and good story. 

this is the story of a family.