Monday, March 28, 2016

God Added

We had two beautiful girls.  Our sweet little family was complete in our eyes.  How narrow our vision can be when we do not look through the eyes of our Lord.

It started so small in the backs of our minds.  This notion of foster care adoption.  We had dear friends who had traveled this path ahead of us.  Each time we saw them God inched us closer.  We began praying about the possibility.  Then God pulled out the big guns and sent someone to our church to speak about orphan care.  As God was growing this dream of you in our hearts, He was also growing you in your birth mother's womb.

But God knew you were our son.

We finally took the plunge and went to the first of MANY foster care training classes.  Eight days later, you were born.  (That God with His timing.  Love Him.)  Over the next several months, our lives were polar opposites.  While we learned why children enter foster care, you were living it.  As we listened to horror stories, you were in one.  My heart was broken then before I ever knew you.

All the while we were praying.  We did not know who we were praying for.

But God knew you were our son.

Our licensing process was complete around the same time you were placed in a safe home - but not our home.  The next year was marked by heartache.  We cried as child after child came and went from our home.  You were shuffled from person to person.  Somewhere you cried as they moved you to yet another home.

Through our heartache, we prayed for God to send us a forever child.  We did not know who we were praying for.

But God knew you were our son.

You came home to us one heart-breaking night, darling boy.  Oh how we prayed that God would add you to our forever family.  It was supposed to be a simple adoption.  But, as is our shared experience, nothing is simple.  We wanted you to be our forever son, but there were so many roadblocks.  So many unexpected twists.  People far and wide were praying for you with all their might.  We began to lose hope.

But God knew you were our son.

Court hearings.  Lawyer visits.  Back and forth.  Months of being in the lurch.  Then, suddenly, it was happening - so quickly that not all the family could make it there to witness the miracle of your adoption.  And it was a miracle.  We stood before the judge to hear the words God already knew.

You were our son.

Outside the courthouse post-adoption
Every night we pray together.  We sit in a circle on the bedroom floor.  And every night you pray, "Dear God, Thank you for my family."

That is the prayer of our hearts, too, my son.

4 comments:

  1. You are such a good writer !! Congrats on your baby boy.

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  2. Whenever Joey comes to that point in his life where he, like most young adults do, asks the questions, " who am I", "why am I here", Joey will know - he will find his answers in the beautiful account of his life written while he was yet too young to understand. Love you, love your heart...EXACTLY the way God made you❤️

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  3. Whenever Joey comes to that point in his life where he, like most young adults do, asks the questions, " who am I", "why am I here", Joey will know - he will find his answers in the beautiful account of his life written while he was yet too young to understand. Love you, love your heart...EXACTLY the way God made you❤️

    ReplyDelete
  4. Love, patience, hope, faith, more love, more patience, more faith, and promises fulfilled. BEAUTIFUL picture of the One who gives us that hope, the ability to have love, patience and the ONE who made it all possible.

    ReplyDelete