Still Can't Believe This Day Has Actually Come

As I look over this blog I'm reminded of the long road this adoption process has taken us on. I'm also reminded of the many disappointments we've faced over the past year concerning another adoption endeavor that failed. It's been a trying time and a blind walk of faith in so many ways. I've ended just about every day asking the same question to God, "How much longer, Lord?" and "Who is it that You have for us?" Well, this past Friday, He finally gave us the answer.

On the previous night, I was unsuccessfully trying not to mope around because I knew that by 8pm our agency would be closing for the night and assumed that would end my chance of receiving a referral that week. I made this assumption because our agency reserves Friday to catch up on paperwork and doesn't really have any interaction with their clients. I checked about 20 blogs to see if anyone who has adopted from my agency had received a referral on a Friday. No one. "Oh, well", I thought, "Now I have to try and get through another weekend of waiting." I usually work from home on Fridays, but I decided to go in that day just to avoid being alone with my thoughts. So, while I'm on the phone with a friend, I get another call. I look at the number and don't recognize it. When I answer I hear, "Susan?", I say, "Yes." "This is Christy" (my case worker). My heart immediately starts to pound. "And I have some good news for you." With that, I let out a blood-curdling scream that really shouldn't be humanly possible and I did it right into poor Christy's ear. Everyone on my staff came running to my office and could quickly tell what was going on. I asked Christy if I could call her back from my husband's office and, then, did a dash across our church that would have impressed Hussein Bolt. I burst through Brian's door and was pleased to find a rare moment when he wasn't counseling anyone. "It's happened!", I told him. We called Christy back and reveled in every moment as she told us about our sweet baby boy. We learn that he is only FOUR WEEKS OLD and that his mother died somewhere within that time, forcing his father to give him up. His medical records indicated he is perfectly healthy. Christy told us she was sending pictures of him and I had to remind Brian that we promised our kids we wouldn't look at them until we were all together. Brian, of course, had to teach a class at the church that night that wouldn't end until 9pm. Torture. At 10pm that night we hear his car horn blowing down the street into our driveway (he was excited). He burst through the door and we immediately gathered around the computer. We clicked on the first picture, expecting it to slowly load on to the screen. Instead, it pops up in an instant and we all scream as we look at these two HUGE eyes looking right back at us. We broke out into hysterical laughter as we focused in on the cutest little face you'd ever want to see. He's just beautiful. In fact, for a four week old, he's exceptionally adorable. We sat there examining all of his little features and soon realized that he has the hugest hands and feet we've ever seen on a newborn. "What kind of boy is this?", I asked Brian. Of course, a look of pride came over his face as lofty notions of the NBA or NFL probably ran through his mind ;) Claire, who's been as excited as anyone, continued to stare at the computer with a look of concern on her face. I immediately knew what her reservation was and consoled her by saying, "Don't worry, honey. He'll grow into those eyes." :)

At the risk of sounding trite- He was absolutely worth the wait. He's the one the Lord set apart just for us. Even though his life has begun with so much sorrow, by God's grace, we're going to give him a home where he is loved and protected and celebrated. He has a mommy and daddy who already love him more than words can express. My prayers are with my sweet boy tonight. Lord, watch over him and bring him home to us soon!!!