The Blessed Ones

     

        Jonah is 22 months old now, and we are approaching the anniversary of his adoption. Milestones always get me to thinking. What have our experiences as a family been like over this past year? How are we adjusting to being an unconventional family? Most of the time I feel like we approach our days with confidence and encounter only kind, polite strangers. I genuinely love where we live, and I am so thankful we ended up in a diverse neighborhood that also has a sense of unity.
       One of the only comments that have been surprising is how often we are told, "He is so lucky (to have been adopted)!" Interestingly, several times this has come from individuals who were adopted themselves or have adopted children. Let me tell you, this is the absolute opposite of how we feel. The idea of someone thinking of Jonah as a victim makes me cringe. I understand that no one ever has ill intent when they speak it, but it's still painful to hear, especially when I think they might still be saying it when Jonah is old enough to understand.
       For anyone who actually knows our story, they know that Matt and I are the lucky ones, if you even believe luck had anything to do with it. God is the only one that could orchestrate every little piece of the puzzle that it took for Jonah to end up permanently in our home. Even if Jonah's birth mother hadn't decided to place with us after taking him home, a battle was already won for Jonah's life when his birth mother decided to carry him when so many were encouraging her to have an abortion. He would have had my prayers for the rest of my life, and I've felt God reassure me that those prayers would not have been lifted up in vain. I believe God had a big plan for our boy, even if he didn't end up in our home. So, as you can see, we are the blessed ones.
      We get to watch him grow, we get to be delighted by his every gesture and word, we were given the privilege of raising the child his birth mother was strong enough to carry to term and give birth to, and to take excellent care of for 11 days, until she felt God leading her to place with us. Jonah is a victor, "He is the head and not the tail, above and not beneath," (Deuteronomy 28:13)
       So this is what I will continue to tell him, as he grows and begins to understand the well intended words of strangers. Next month on the 16th, we won't celebrate "Gotcha Day", as some like to call it. We will remember God's completed work, and send love and thanks to Jonah's birth family. Our boy was not rescued, God rescued us by bringing Jonah.

Love,
Kristin