2013 has held more change for us than the previous 35 years
combined! In January we were still
caring for our beautiful foster daughter, Bella. We didn’t know who would adopt her; we just
knew we couldn’t. At the end of
February, we were graced with the incredible gift and knowledge that Bella’s
forever family is a loving Christian family who desires continued communication
with us. In May, we experienced loss
like we never had before when we had to say goodbye to her, but also gained
dear friends in the family that adopted her.
In January we were still agonizing through the red tape of
our adoption process, delays in paperwork, denied referrals, still no idea who
God would provide to be our daughters.
At the end of February we accepted Emma’s referral and by the end of
May, she was in our arms. At the end of
March we accepted Elsie’s referral, but because of delays in her paperwork and
our major move back to the US, it was early September before we brought her
home to us. We began the year with so many
unknowns and lots of hurt and heart ache.
We are ending the year as a family of four on the road to health.
I am most grateful for our two little sweethearts, Emma and
Elsie. These two little darlings are the
answers to years and years and years of prayer.
We have been waiting for and longing for and hoping for them for a very
long time. And now they’re here. They are ours. They are growing not only in my heart, but
also before my eyes. At the beginning of
the year, they were living in orphanages, various ladies caring for them,
surviving, but in no way thriving.
Whether they knew it or not, they too were waiting and longing and
hoping, maybe not for us specifically, but for a mommy and daddy, for a family
and friends to love them and delight in them and provide them with an
environment where they could thrive. Now,
they’ve been given the gift of a forever family. They are learning and laughing and loving
having a mommy and a daddy.
Don’t get me wrong, this kind of major transition has NOT been
easy on the four of us. We are still
adjusting and there are times it’s been really, really hard. But as I reflect on our family’s recent
history, how God is writing His story in our lives, I am overwhelmed. Most days I’m too overwhelmed with the here
and now of managing our home and caring for these two munchkins to see it. But the past few days as I’ve taken time to
stop and to think, I’m overwhelmed with God’s goodness and grace and
faithfulness to me, His undeserving child.
That’s the kind of overwhelming I’d like to continue into 2014.
Happy New Year, dear friends.
