Archives for November 2014

Three years ago in November 2011, I wrote this post, sharing how in 2010, I had longed for a little boy in our family picture. I didn’t know it, but at the time, Jac0b was 5 years old.

I have a secret to tell about this picture, taken last November.  When I first saw this picture I thought about how beautiful the leaves were and how I love the sun streaming through the trees.  I love that my family is all holding hands and that if you look hard enough, you can see a smidge of my big smile.  But I never told anyone all I could think about is how I thought a little boy would fit between me and Lexi. He would even us out, fit perfectly.

And looking back, I love that this picture looks like we’re headed off together on a journey, with God’s warm presence over our path.  We didn’t decide and announce we’d adopt until late January this year but this shows he’s been in the picture for much longer.

 

We have last year’s family picture on a canvas in our living room.  Last year’s picture was also special because I knew God was telling me to enjoy our year. Our family was in a very sweet time and I was so grateful, although I mentioned I felt like we perhaps we had some hard years coming up.

For whatever reason God decided to let me be a part of this beautiful family and it is such a gift.  We’re far from perfect but we’re healthy.  We’re happy.  We love Jesus.  He is SO good to us.

I don’t know if that means we have some hard years coming up.  Maybe.  But maybe they’ll all be good years.

You can imagine that planning this year’s family picture was a big deal for us. When we began talking about family pictures and where it would be, Jac0b piped up and pointed at the picture and said, I want our picture in the same place as that one. Thankfully, that’s exactly where we had it planned with the same photographer.

Once again, his desires and our desires meshed. And so with that, I’m sharing a few proofs from our family pictures this year (I’m saving the one I’m using for our Christmas card).

I can’t think of a better time than Thanksgiving to say that yes, this year has been hard but it also has fulfilled so many longings and we are so, so grateful.

Although I was so happy with our family of four, I just knew there was a little boy that was supposed to be with us.

And now he is.

God is so good. Happy Thanksgiving, y’all. He’s worthy of our praise!

I have some very good news today in case you didn’t see it on Facebook yesterday.  (Like the Facebook page if you’re on there–I post the latest news first over there)! I got a call yesterday afternoon from the attorney that our court date has been set for December 18th! 29 days and counting!

Originally they told us we’d likely be with a grouping of other adoption cases on the 29th, but we asked for a date before Christmas.  Jac0b has put a lot of stock in this date and I feel like a lot of his angst will settle down once we get through that. I really wanted that stability for Christmas.  Holidays are hard enough.

I had prayed that the date would hold some significance, particularly around the number 7. It certainly wasn’t required, but I wanted to see God’s hand in this once again.  I think he answered.  The date is exactly 7 days before Christmas.  The verse from Isaiah “Unto us a child is born” has been on my heart since we adopted. I’m hoping to use that on our Christmas card with our new family picture.  It’s not that I see Jac0b as the Messiah, but it does hold a double significance to us this year.

So, it just seems appropriate that even though we can’t have the court date on Christmas, we’re having it 7 days before.  Also, if you flip back exactly 19 weeks, that’s the Thursday he was placed with us in August (19 x 7) and if you flip back another 3 weeks (3 x7), that’s the Thursday we met him for the first time and if you flip back another 2 weeks (2×7), that’s the Thursday we got the call about being matched with him.  Call my crazy, but it doesn’t seem like an accident to me that all of these multiples of 7 lands us on different significant Thursdays.

The date also worked out perfectly because I had already taken the day off since we’re headed out of town the next day to visit family for Christmas.  That’s also the kids’ first day of Christmas break so they won’t miss school either.  Scott easily got the day off.  They really couldn’t have picked a better day.

When I told Jac0b, the poor thing barely cracked a smile. I had to ask if he was even excited and he said yes.  I’ve been thinking on it and there have been other times I’ve expected him to be more excited–even on his birthday–and I am beginning to believe that he really doesn’t know how to celebrate.  I imagine he’s had so many disappointments that it’s hard for him to get excited.  Why get excited when you doubt it will happen anyway?

And maybe it’s because, as we talked about a few posts ago, that this is bittersweet for him.  Yes, he’s getting a new family, but it’s also the day he loses his identity legally with his birth family.  And maybe he’s just playing tough guy and if he lets too much emotion out, it’s just too much to handle. I’m sure it’s a combination of all of that.

I asked Scott if I could do family T-shirts for the court date and he was not into that at all. If you know Scott, you know that’s way too cheesy for him. I’m not sure yet how to celebrate the day yet, but I’d love to hear how other families have handled it.

So, 29 days.  It will be here before we know it and I couldn’t be more excited.