Once upon a time I awoke one winter morning with an overwhelming desire to travel to Latin America. At the time I was 20 years old and a sophomore in college. I knew with all of my heart that I needed to take this journey, so I followed my inner prompting and prepared for the journey.

Several months later, I took a leave from the University, donned my backpack and enrolled in a summer college program in Guadalajara, Mexico to learn Spanish. Then, traveling south to Guatemala, I worked in a medical clinic with a nutritionist caring for mothers and children in the jungles near Lake Panajachel. I fell in love with the land of violet bougainvillea, crystal blue lakes, colorful tapestries and the indigenous people. For part of my sojourn, my own mother joined me as we explored the beauties of Guatemalan markets and villages, artwork and the brilliant green terrain.

I now know many years later that my soul was gathering the images and vision to be a mother for my future family with the support of my own mother. Yet at the time I only sensed this inner need to immerse myself in Latin America. (Throughout my life I have learned time and time again that following your intuition, soul wisdom, inner voice or whatever name you give that inner guidance is of utmost importance in life)

Years later I married and, due to health issues, could not have children. My husband and I started our amazing adoption jouney. One of the sweetest stories occurred several years before our little girl arrived. I had an unforgettable dream about an adoption angel. In this dream, I saw an image of a couple connected by a rainbow to a baby. I remember sensing that the couple was in North America and the baby was in Latin America. The image faded and suddenly a magnificent angel appeared. She had a most compassionate face and was smilng sweetly. Above the angel was a light blue banner with big words "Adoption Angel" written on it. While this may sound unique, many adopting parents have similar experiences.

In Over the Moon: An Adoption Tale, a child’s book about adoption, the parents have a dream:

That night a woman far away had a dream.  She dreamed she saw.the baby in a basket surrounded by beautiful violet flowers and birds of many colors. Her husband dreamed of the same child.  He saw her beside the sea and mountains, smiling a little smile, and he knew she was the child they had been longing for.[1]

.When our adoption process was started and we were waiting for our baby, my mother-in-law had a precious vision of our little girl. She appeared very similar to how she looks with shining, dark eyes full of love, chubby cheeks and the sweetest smile. Her soul was communicating with her grandmother too!

Even without dreams, parents so often know when they first meet their child and gaze upon his or her eyes - yes, this child is ours!

What is this knowing? It is soul knowing the soul-to-soul connection between parent and child. Yes, families are more than meet the eye. Families fulfill a crucial spiritual purpose because they create the crucible for souls to work out karmic relationships and fulfill their mission.

There are a number of reasons why souls are assigned to specific families. Sometimes a child is assigned to a family because one or both parents have good karma with the soul of that child. Sometimes it's because something needs to be resolved between the parents and the child or between the child and his siblings from relationships in past lives. And sometimes it's a little of both, a little good karma and a little nonresolution.[2]

Imagine if a soul is unable to fulfill a certain mission or connect with a specific family. How does a soul feel in this situation? As a child psychologist, I have worked with children who carry deep anger for no known reason. Yet, they have loving, supportive parents, families and friends, and no difficult life experiences. After reflecting on these puzzling situations, I now believe that some of these feelings originate from past lives when their souls have been denied the opportunity to balance certain karma or complete a special assignment in a family. And they are unresolved, and even angry, about it.

Families truly are part of a spiritual drama of souls coming together for many reasons. When the drama is not played out, it can be very difficult to duplicate all that is needed for a soul to progress spiritually.

By God's grace, our family's drama did unfold. Our adoption process moved rather quickly and, to our delight, our little girl was born and arrived home soon after. Amazingly she was born not more than about 30 miles from the very area where I worked in the mountains of Guatemala!

Now our child is a curious, happy preschooler. Yet moments occur in our busy days when our eyes connect and soul-to-soul we remember our story that began long before we physically came together as a family. Yes, I am reminded of the miracle of our family's soul journey together over the rainbow. Elizabeth, USA

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[1] Karen Katz, Over the Moon: An Adoption Tale (New York: Henry Holt and Co.,1997) p.3.

[2] Elizabeth Clare Prophet, Nurturing Your Baby’s Soul (Corwin Springs, MT.: Summit University Press, 1998), p. 16.