Saturday, December 15, 2007

Six Month Reflections





Jayden is now six months old! I am amazed at how fast he is learning new things but even more amazing is what he teaches us about ourselves. I have learned that I am so selfish and at the absolute same time I am crazy about this little guy. I am reminded constantly that he is a gift from God Himself. We are so thankful that we have been entrusted to raise him. He just spent his first night away from mommy and daddy and I must say we all did quite well! Thanks Gram and Pop! Jayden just had his six month check up and all was well with him, even the shots were okay. He is 19lbs. 10oz. (75th-90th percentile) and almost 27 inches long (50th percentile). A "healthy chubby" as I like to call it.

Work has been going pretty well. Again, I am learning so much. I am working with two families who are adopting from China and one who has just adopted from the Ukraine. I have completed one domestic adoption and have had one fall through at the last minute. I am also working with two other young women who are facing a crisis pregnancy. The last couple of months have challenged me to look at adoption in a different way.

I now understand at least one purpose in God allowing couples to experience infertility. I have seen so much pain in their empty arms and have seen a glimpse of their years of heartache that I will never know. However, the truth is that these couple are fulfilling the mandate to look after "orphans in their distress." My question is...are these couples the only ones that are mandated to do this? I think the answer is a loud "no!" After all, we don't just become parents to meet a need of our own. We are entrusted to care for children and to raise them in the training and instruction of the Lord. Needless to say, I am challenged and am challenging you to consider the call to care for the abandoned orphans oversees and even the babies in the U.S. who will be placed for adoption by a loving and indescribably selfless birth mother.