Three years ago, our family was camping on the islands of Lake Champlain here in Vermont. I remember we had some rain and were thankful for the wooden lean-to that was on our tent site. We basically set up some of the tent parts in the lean-to. We spent the weekend exploring the beaches and views on the islands. Unknown to us, on the other side of the Atlantic, our daughter was born. Tomorrow is our daughter’s third birthday. While we are sad to still be without her here, we are so thankful to the Lord for blessing our family with her. The boys are very excited to meet her.
We have had people hint that an adoption must be so much different than a birth. For us? No, not really. Except for the wait which has really made us have to rely on the Lord and His perfect timing, it is very similar. We are anxious for her to be home similarly to the wait for the births of our sons. We have already met her of course, so that is different. Several Sunday’s I have thought back to that first day when she was on my lap and couldn’t help but tear up – sad that she wasn’t in my lap and so excited to think that she WILL be very soon. My love for her seems no different than when my sons were born. Anxious to get to know her and who she will become. Looking forward to teaching her. Knowing that having her in our lives will change our lives forever and life would have been missing something big without her.
Is she “lucky” to have us? So many people have erroneously said that. When your children were born did you think how “lucky” they were to have you? No, of course not. She has already been such a big blessing in our lives. Whether children some day feel just as blessed to have parents as parents do to have children is beside the point. When God entrusts you with a child, naturally or supernaturally, it is such a gift. Maybe more so through adoption since, for us, pregnancies were so smooth and easy. An adoption often has so many twists and turns that you can’t help but see the miraculous gift it is.
Paul was just cleaning out some things in our room and found a letter I wrote to him around our engagement. It actually had adoption in it as one thing I’d like my future husband to consider! We’ve talked about this for so long and I’m so glad God is working things out to come to fulfillment now. So many changes in our lives this year but so much that is finally coming to fulfillment -things we have prayed for for so long. So exciting!
Our daughter is such a big gift. Happy Birthday, baby girl! So excited to go pick you up. Maybe you and Noah can have a combined Birthday party this fall!
That is very nice. It touched my heart. We are praying for all of you. God Bless all of you.