what they're looking for...

Canada Adopts listed these qualities that they look for in adoptive parents. Some are surprising. Check it out:

• Realistic expectations
• Genuine respect for birth parents
• Understanding of loss issues for birth parents, the child and themselves
• Acceptance of child differences
• Non-possessive attitudes toward children
• Assertiveness/ability to advocate
• Openness to support/learning from others
• Flexibility/ability to improvise
• Interchangeable, supportive roles within the couple
• A network of support, whether adopting as a single person or a couple
• High tolerance for emotional pain
• Sense of humour 
• Sense of spirituality/inner strength/faith 
• Ability to meet own personal needs
• Ability to provide an accepting, nurturing and stable environment for children 

What encourages me? that they see people of faith as a positive. That's awesome. Not just for Brad and I, but for the whole system. That faith is valued.

What scares me? that they list "high tolerance for emotional pain" as highly valued. Ah. My heart is so sensitive to the cause of orphans. I feel like I have a very low tolerance and my heart breaks easily. But maybe that's good.