Isn't funny how you can know yourself for thirty-five years or so, and yet still keep learning stuff about yourself? OK, maybe that's just me. But I've recently realized that when I have big things going on in my brain, I actually talk (and write) less. Does this mean that when I am going full-force with my typically loquacious ramblings that I don't actually have much in this brain of mine? Hmmm. Something more to ponder.
Our home study was re-submitted last week with all the additional things required. I don't know how long it will take now to officially approve us, but I hope it will be soon. We were assigned another "adoption specialist" at our agency now; this makes number four -- or maybe five, because we've been emailing back and forth with somebody after our last one left the agency and before we got the name of this newest one. I can't keep up. I'll be as much of a polite pest as necessary to make sure we don't get lost in the shuffle again, though. And tonight, through a complicated series of connections, we got word of a little boy and girl in need of an adoptive family. If this ends up being who the Lord has chosen to join our family, it will be such a total "God-thing" because of this little chain of people. Even if this isn't who He's chosen, I found out that there are several families in our church and literally right around the corner from us who have adopted, like we're doing, through foster care. How wonderful that God put them there because I know we'll need support and advice from someone who's been there!
Regardless of whether or not this is who we end up adopting, this little boy and girl really have me thinking. And praying.
This is a serious reality check. Filling out the papers and all that is most certainly a reality check, but everything up 'til now has been hypothetical. Now it's getting real. My practical side is kicking into high gear with all the things I need to clean out of the spare bedroom, all the things I'd need to baby-proof if we adopt a toddler, and all the ways my life will change when we add a child or two to our family. Big, hugely important things, but also little things like what do you do with a toddler while you're homeschooling a second grader? And what do I do to keep them out of trouble when I'm in the shower? And where would everyone sit, and I think I'd need a high chair again. And a crib. I'd have to learn about the nursery at church. What will WonderDog do with little ones here every day, instead of just to visit? My mind reels at all these things. My mind is actually kind of spazing out right now. But my heart still knows that God has called me to this, and He's already showing me that He's set up support people and everyone and everything I'm going to need to do this. He is so good.
Then there's the part that tries to wrap my brain around how anyone could ever hurt a child. On purpose. My sweet friend Nita shared the sweetest video of her youngest son Brock at this time last year, just a few weeks before he died. The video is of his first bike ride. You can hear him talking, and see the mischievous little look on his face as he pedals as fast as he can, and it's just so heart-wrenchingly sweet. In addition to the ache I felt for Nita and her family as I watched that last week on her blog, it was also a reminder of just how precious every life is. At the time I was thinking of that in relation to abortion, but now I'm thinking of it in relation to child abuse. Who could hurt their own little child?
This is a broken world we live in. I am so thankful that I know Christ, that He loves me so dearly, and that one day He will fix all that's broken.
Our home study was re-submitted last week with all the additional things required. I don't know how long it will take now to officially approve us, but I hope it will be soon. We were assigned another "adoption specialist" at our agency now; this makes number four -- or maybe five, because we've been emailing back and forth with somebody after our last one left the agency and before we got the name of this newest one. I can't keep up. I'll be as much of a polite pest as necessary to make sure we don't get lost in the shuffle again, though. And tonight, through a complicated series of connections, we got word of a little boy and girl in need of an adoptive family. If this ends up being who the Lord has chosen to join our family, it will be such a total "God-thing" because of this little chain of people. Even if this isn't who He's chosen, I found out that there are several families in our church and literally right around the corner from us who have adopted, like we're doing, through foster care. How wonderful that God put them there because I know we'll need support and advice from someone who's been there!
Regardless of whether or not this is who we end up adopting, this little boy and girl really have me thinking. And praying.
This is a serious reality check. Filling out the papers and all that is most certainly a reality check, but everything up 'til now has been hypothetical. Now it's getting real. My practical side is kicking into high gear with all the things I need to clean out of the spare bedroom, all the things I'd need to baby-proof if we adopt a toddler, and all the ways my life will change when we add a child or two to our family. Big, hugely important things, but also little things like what do you do with a toddler while you're homeschooling a second grader? And what do I do to keep them out of trouble when I'm in the shower? And where would everyone sit, and I think I'd need a high chair again. And a crib. I'd have to learn about the nursery at church. What will WonderDog do with little ones here every day, instead of just to visit? My mind reels at all these things. My mind is actually kind of spazing out right now. But my heart still knows that God has called me to this, and He's already showing me that He's set up support people and everyone and everything I'm going to need to do this. He is so good.
Then there's the part that tries to wrap my brain around how anyone could ever hurt a child. On purpose. My sweet friend Nita shared the sweetest video of her youngest son Brock at this time last year, just a few weeks before he died. The video is of his first bike ride. You can hear him talking, and see the mischievous little look on his face as he pedals as fast as he can, and it's just so heart-wrenchingly sweet. In addition to the ache I felt for Nita and her family as I watched that last week on her blog, it was also a reminder of just how precious every life is. At the time I was thinking of that in relation to abortion, but now I'm thinking of it in relation to child abuse. Who could hurt their own little child?
This is a broken world we live in. I am so thankful that I know Christ, that He loves me so dearly, and that one day He will fix all that's broken.
