I will apologize up front... sorry for the long post. Week sixteen draws to an end. Andrew celebrated his 17th birthday while we were on our college tour so I am sitting down and celebrating him.Happy Birthday Rew!
Seventeen things I love about you.
1. Your one dimple.
2. Your love of sports.
3. Your knack for getting along with everyone.
4. Your love of music.
5. Your young soul.
6. Your ability to bring together a community to support your effort to help the kids in the Dominican Republic.
7. Your math mind.
8. You were the easiest baby (thank you, God, because I was so young.)
9. Your boyish sense of humor that makes me smile.
10. Your confidence.
11. Your intensity when you are interested.
12. Your ability to wear old-school shorts to a soccer game, pink pants, or what not to get a laugh out of your friends.
13. Your loyalty.
14. Your love of movies.
15. Your desire to travel. (You are the easiest kid to travel with :)
16. Your love of food even when it is different (Indian, Ethiopian, sushi)
17. Your gentle spirit that makes me look like a good mother when it is just you - a wonderful creation of God's that I can take little credit for. (Thank you for keeping those little scriptures that I hand you in your wallet. I love you.)
** So, this part of the post is more difficult for me. I am new to talking about my relationship with God. When we first started the adoption, I was asked by another adoptive mom, "are you a woman of faith?" My response was immediate. "Yes." I have always believed in God, gone to church, and prayed. I had even opened the bible occasionally, gotten as far as completing the book of Genesis. I knew nothing about being a woman of faith. Adopting has been amazing in so many ways. One of the changes it has brought about has been in my relationship with God.
I signed up to study the bible. It has been amazing. There have been too many times that something we were studying directly spoke to what was happening within the confines of our home. In CBS two weeks ago we studied the book of Jonah. Wow, I always knew Jonah was swallowed by a whale. That was the story, right? Wrong. So much more. One part of the story (because there are so many to learn). Jonah ran from what the Lord told him to do. Ran in the direct opposite direction. We were challenged to think about what was our Nineveh? God has an amazing plan for us, too. Yet, what do we run from. That was an easy one for me. For years we took in newborns. Even when I felt nudged toward adopting, knowing how crazy it sounded. Life was neat, not complex, balanced. Everyone was doing well. One soon off to college. Why would I want to disrupt the order. After a serious conversation with God, we actually started the paperwork process. Long story short. We are waiting for our Little M. I think about her before I fall asleep. I pray that she is falling asleep with a warm blanket nestled around her little body. I imagine my hand on her head. I ask for God to wrap her little soul in love. Most amazing is I have read a good deal of the bible. I rely upon my quiet time with the Lord, to give me direction in the day. I know that it may be hard after Little M gets home, but I have faith that God will provide the strength and the wisdom to help her. I can say now, that I am woman of faith. I did not know what it meant before. I answered much to quickly, then. I have faith, now.
12 comments:
What a great post!! And I can totally relate..I have grown so much through this adoption process...I'm blessed to have grown through adoption...it is amazing isn't it?? Ok, so not being able to read part of my blog?? Hmmmmmmm....I can't figure that one out?? My text is all written with a "white" background so it is very easy to read it all...She did put the title of the post in blue...is that what you can't read?? I have flower print border, then white box with black type just like normal...The only thing she changed was each post title pops up in a bluey color...let me know and I forwarded it to her so she could help me with it too....I don't want you missing out...I always love your comments...you're always a faithful commenter :) and you know we love those :) kristi
I really enjoyed this post. Thank you for you honesty and real-ness!
Ellen
Oh this just makes me so happy. You have such a strong faith. I have literally watched the Lord work in you through this adoption and I am so proud of your boldness for Him, and your transparency about all He is teaching you. You are a blessing.
Your Andrew and my Hill sound like they were cut from the same cloth. How I pray we have the opportunity one day to all be in the same place!! Ethiopia maybe??? :)
I am so glad you are enjoying reading the Bible! Its so much fun to read. Actually what has worked best for me is getting the GoBible or something like it. It has the OT and NT in a MP3 like format so that you can listen to it. I hooked cheap little speakers (they are like headpones but are speakers and cost $10.00) up to it and I can play it anytime. I love it. There were a few books I could not seem to get through on my own it is so much nicer for someone to read them to me! ;)
Happy late Birthday Andrew!
I can't wait for your referral of Little M!
I have to say that this was one of the beautiful extra benefits to the adoption process for me to. I have faith and a relationship with God that is much different than I did before. And it's such a great thing. Plus, I nearly fell off my chair when I read the books of Ruth and Ester. And maybe the connectedness and relevance of those stories to my life aren't obvious to everyone, but they really spoke to our situation, and to me in a very important way. I love that you write about this.
And Happy Belated Birthday to Andrew! Congratulations on having such a wonder family already. Can't wait to see how it grows.
P.S. Aster is home now and doing well. Much better. Thank you very much for your kind babysitting offer. I would love to take you up on it when they don't have super virulent contagious viruses!
Hey, if you get a second will you look and see if you can read my whole blog now...My blog design person is working on it now and thinks she fixed problem so I'm needing some feedback, thanks, kristi
This was a great tribute to your son. I loved #17! My children make me look good, too. But, I cannot take the credit for their incredible-ness!
So good to hear you are growing closer to God through all of this! He somehow does things to bring us nearer and then draw us closer! God Bless!
So glad the text got fixed for everyone...Thanks for sticking with us :) kristi
A beautiful post!!!! I love your list for your son....it is so special that age and these boys. Really lovely, and number 17 catches my heart. I get that too. Happy bday mom too! He's a handsome young boy who is clearly growing into a fine young man. Well done. and yeah, you DID help!
As for the faith, I think we all get that too. Anytime you step out in faith, often blindly, but with a step forward...then you are beginning to be transformed into who God is calling you to be: your truest self. And it is beautiful. Isn't that the coolest thing?!
Lovely post, really great! Love m
Thank you for stopping by and your sweet comments. I love how God is working in and through you. It sounds like CBS has impacted your walk in the same way that BSF has impacted mine. God's Word ... don't you love how relevant it is to what we are facing today? Your honesty and transparency are simply refreshing. I cannot wait to follow along til your precious M is home wrapped in your loving arms. Blessings, Kim
OH, this is what makes God smile.
Thank you for sharing your faith journey. You have been faithful by stepping out into what God has been gently calling you to, and he is blessing you with a close relationship with him. How awesome is that.
You ARE NOT acting like Jonah in this instance, and I believe you will inspire others to run in God's direction, too.
How fun that I read this AFTER your referral, and your joy of being connected to this sweet 2.5 yr old.
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