The Day We Met...

Last May 27, 2013 on the day that we first met.

This May 2014 hiking at Cunningham Falls.
If I had a nickel for every time I cried throughout our adoption journey/post adoption, I would be rich.  At the start of our journey, there were days when I didn't think I would ever stop crying due to brokenness inside of me.  In the middle of the journey the tears came when I felt as though God had forgotten us or there just seemed to be permeating hopelessness in our situation.  There were days when I was so frustrated with the paperwork, the system, or the process itself that tears were the only expression I had.  There were days when I would think about the number of children around the world who were living without families to love on them, ours included, and tears that came from the deepest kind of sadness would pour out of my soul.
Then we got our referral and it brought a new set of tears.  There were tears of happiness that God had answered our prayers.  There were tears of longing, knowing that it would still be months before we would meet our son.  There were tears of the deepest kind of joy that I am not even sure I have ever felt in my life before that came from knowing God's plan was about to unfold right in front of our eyes...and it was good!

Since bringing home Biruk, tears still seem to be my mantra.  Most days, they are just out of the absolute astonishment I have with the way God has woven his faithfulness throughout our life.  This morning was one of those days.  Last year on this very day, May 27, 2013, we met Biruk for the very first time.  I remember the day like it was yesterday and can't believe that it has already been a whole year since our first trip to Ethiopia, a trip that began a chapter of our life that we couldn't have imagined on our own.  My journal entry from that day pretty much sums it up...

May 27, 2013
Today will go down in my books as one of the best days of my life.  We met our son for the first time and it was everything I had imagined it to be plus so much more!  When we got to the orphanage, we were greeted by a handful of kids, several who had special needs.  Then they showed us the baby room and there was a nanny feeding Biruk.  We bent down and touched his little feet.  After a few minutes she gave him to me to feed him.  He practically melted in my arms!  There was a little boy with Downs Syndrome who stood by our side the whole time.  He kept hugging us, which made the whole thing even more special.  Eventually we got into a car...with Biruk...and headed down to the orphanage office where we got to be with him for a couple of hours.  It was amazing!  He fell asleep several times in our arms.  We played with him, fed him, got him to laugh.  It was an amazing time.  He has these chocolate brown eyes and big brown legs!  He is so cute!  He didn't cry once and it felt like he was already a big part of us.  When we left, the nanny pretty much took him out of my arms and placed him in his crib with another little girl.  Talk about heart breaking.  I didn't know how fast I could fall in love with a little child, but it happened...and it happened quick!  I am praying the embassy date comes so soon.  He is our little blessing....a total gift.  Today made the journey worthwhile.

 Today, I cried tears of joy...again...because God continues to remind us of his faithfulness every time we hold the little boy who changed our life a year ago today.  Thanks be to God!

Comments

  1. AnonymousMay 29, 2014 at 3:12 PM

    YOUR journey became OUR journey way before Biruk was even conceived. God always knew your prayers and what a wonderful life Biruk would soon have with you as parents and growing up with your entire family of believers. God has big plans for that little guy!

    ReplyDelete

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