How Time Flies!

I truly feel like Micah has been part of our family since his birth.  And actually, I guess he has been, even before he was born.  Five years ago (yesterday), we filed our application to adopt from India.  While he was still in his birth mother's tummy, God was preparing our family for him to join us!

Our application to adopt was filed September 24 and 1 year later, on the same date, we got the call for Micah's referral!  Too cool!  Many, many miracles happened (too many to recount here today) to make this possible.  But looking back, we realize we were blessed beyond measure!  At the time of Micah's referral, it seemed like a family was traveling every month to pick up their child, so we not only got to see a referral photo (below), but we got to see a current photo of him at 6 months old (above)!  Those huge dark chocolate eyes, and pouty lips.  Needless to say, I fell in love immidiately...and forever!

In the Waiting

To me, these two signs perfectly represent what International adoption from India is like right now.  And I'm not even in process!  There are many who find themselves "in the waiting" right now with no certain or clear picture of what lies ahead of them on this journey.  It is difficult for us, as we begin to talk about starting another adoption journey, to know exactly how to read these signs.  Do we need to buckle our seat belts, and proceed toward India and the unknown with caution, or do we turn aside and begin to investigate another country?  Right now, we have the liberty to make that decision.  For those friends of ours, and those we don't know, I just wanted to share a word of encouragement that I came across this week.

Job, speaking from a place of total hopelessness and no control over his own life, speaks these words to his friends...

Job 9:4-11 (NLT)

For God is so wise and so mighty.  Who has ever challenged him successfully?

"Without warning, he moves the mountains, overturning them in his anger.

He shakes the earth from it's place, and it's foundations tremble.

If he commands it, the sun won't rise and the stars won't shine.

He alone has spread out the heavens and marches on the waves of the sea.

He made all the stars - the Bear and Orion, the Pleiades and the constellations of the southern sky.

He does great things too marvelous to understand.

He performs countless miracles."

Yet when he comes near, I cannot see him.

When he moves by, I do not see him go.

I was reminded that God is always working for his children.  We may not see what he is doing, but we can rest with confidence that he is actively moving and the God who places the sun and stars in their place, and holds the oceans at bay, can easily bring his children to their forever home!  Nothing can stop him from working his purpose!

Psalms 37:7a

Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act!

Easter Eggs

                                                                 
One of my favorite little games that Micah plays, is a word game.  It goes something like this.

Micah: Mom, you know how I love you?

Me: How much do you love me?

Micah: Ummmm...all the way to the ceiling!

Me: Wow, that's alot of love!  You know how I love you?

Micah: How?

Me: All the way to India (or Colorado, or to Aunt Cheri's, or some other far off location)

Micah: You know how I love you?

Me: How much?

Micah: This tiny.  (Here he gives me a big grin and holds up two little fingers close together)

Me: No way! It's this much! (This is when I open his arms wide and tickle him silly)

Today I was thinking about how I love this little game he plays, and how much it breaks my heart to think that he might ever question whether or not he was meant to be part of our family.  I thought of the discussions we've had recently about the color of his skin.  Then, for some reason, maybe because we just had Easter, I thought of eggs!  I know it's not very theological, but it seems to fit.  We are all the same on the inside...created in the image of a beautiful God.  We have blood, bones, muscle, a heart and a soul.  Our outsides, however, are very different.  Our shells, have been painted and designed by a very creative God!  And it's a marvelously wonderful thing that we are each unique!  I hope all my children grow up believing this simple, fantastic truth!

Fearfully and Wonderfully Made!

Well, it's happened. I did not expect it really till Kindergarten. All the books said that Kindergarten was about the time when kids would start to ask questions because of a sudden awareness brought on by comments from their school friends. Micah will turn 4 in a couple of weeks, and the questions have been coming this month like a whirlwind.

• Did you know I am brown?
• Why am I brown?
• I want to be white like you!
• Am I dark or light?
• Who was in your tummy?
• Was I in your tummy?

Micah knows his story...the story of how he came to be part of our family. He watches his homecoming video all the time, reads his "Micah's Story," book, etc. We talk all the time about how God designs families and He puts them together in all different kinds of ways. This particular vein of questioning, however, is new.

One thing that has been so helpful, is that we are being intentional about finding friends who look like us! When he starts to question, I first remind Micah that God created him brown for a reason and that I LOVE his brown color. Then, we go over other families we know who are like us! I will say, "Remember Jake (Micah's new best friend) is brown and his mommy is white? And, Eli is brown and his brother is white! And our friend Suhas is brown and his wife, Abby, is white!" "Oh, yeah," he'll say with a grin, and that seems to satisfy him for the moment. Another big help to me has been Psalms 139. I remind him that God says he is "fearfully and wonderfully made," and that when God "formed him in the womb," He made him exactly like He wanted him and for a wonderful purpose! I am so honored that I get to be mommy to this wonderful, inquisitive little boy from India!