We are officially adopting again. Next week in fact....
I would love to say it's been a quick and easy 9 months type pregnancy, but that would be a lie. It has been anything but easy and nothing with the state is ever quick. However, the time has officially come. Next week we will make it official on paper to raise, love, support, and empower this little guy the best we know how.
On New Years Eve 2017, we got the phone call asking if we would take a 10 day old baby leaving the NICU. In true Christian fashion I was hesitant because I LOVE sleep. Like, I look forward to getting back into my bed as soon as I leave it. And newborns do not sleep. Not to mention, our teenager with her baby had only recently left so we just needed a hot minute to recoup. But, as often happens, my no turned to yes and I agreed to take this 4 lb tiny thing. J.O. was out of town on a ski trip with the 2 oldest, so I figured this would serve as a nice welcome home present.
Well, the baby became critically ill before he was released and began a month long NICU stay from New Years Eve until January 22nd. We visited him during this time and I remember thinking then, man this is going to be hard to let him go. But, as only foster parents can do, I shifted my mindset each week and started slowly building a small relationship with his biological father. We began the all too familiar dance of parenting him while preparing to hand him over.
In the fall of last year circumstances changed, and we began the shift from foster parents to forever parents. We didn't officially finish paperwork until December and decided we would let the world know when there was a date on paper.
This little guy is a miracle. You may not ever know what all he has already had to overcome just to be with us today. If you are ever struggling with your faith, come read his adoption file. The day he was almost discharged to us he had to be able to sit in a carseat for 60 minutes without his respiratory rate going down. He made it 57 minutes and it tanked so the doctor wouldn't release him. Overnight, they discovered he had a critical intestinal issue and the nurse told us he wouldn't have survived at our house throughout the night. And this only scratches the surface of his amazing journey.
Now, don't get me wrong. This journey has not been all sunshine and rainbows. In fact, we still aren't certain about a lot with his future, but one thing I know is this. The same God that protected him from being released too early from the hospital, is the same God today. He literally plucked him out of a situation meant for bad, and we will spend our lives helping it be worked for good.
Do we adopt because we have this overwhelming desire for tons of kids? Um no. Do we adopt because a loving and Holy God once saw our overwhelming situation of sin and picked us up, dusted us off, and called us His own. Absolutely.
It's not easy. Man it's not easy. My social life is non existent, I (sometimes) text people on the phone instead of seeing them, and most days I am very sympathetic to moms who hide and eat chocolate or drink, but it is so very worth it.
So get ready to see lots of pics of the cutest boy (alongside Trey) you ever will meet. And just know that what those pictures don't tell, is there is a lot of fight in that tiny little body. And we want you to know this sweet boy....your mom and dad have a lot of fight too and we will make it our mission to go before you every step of the way.
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