Excuse my while I go chase down my heart that was stolen away today in a court room - Surprise! Today was adoption day for the Arthur Family!!
This big sister thing has happened to me once before, at the ripe old age of two - can't say I remember the details but I'm sure it was a jovial feeling - Today, I got another chance to witness a member being added to my family and WOW, it has got to be one of the most incredible feelings in the world.
Her precious story had a beginning before she ever breathed in her first breath, before she was conceived -
it was a God story and it was meant to be told...
Through this process, I have watched my parents go over the concept of baby M being a member of THIS forever family so many times. I have seen them worry {for her sake} about race, about age & about culture but never about faith. I am not a parent but I can imagine thinking about her future, about what she will face in the coming years and how we, as a family, will handle it. You see, foster care is part of her story. There is no taking that away, no sweeping it under the rug - because for this story to be beautiful, it has to start from the beginning.
What satan meant for evil, God meant for good.
Foster care can be an ugly monster - I have learned that for our family, the words 'foster care' can almost literally translate into faith. Faith guides the insane decision to say "yes" to a call from DCS to a newborn still at the hospital waiting for a stranger to pick her up and take her home. Faith has brought us here and faith has brought HER here - to this very moment. Faith will forever more be part of her name, part of her story.
This is a story that should be told.
Her heritage is one that will be so completely unique - I envy the power of a story like hers. I am so thankful this story is close to its beginning - today is the first day of the rest of her life, praise Jesus for that.
It most certainly will not always be an easy ride but then again,
no ones journey is.
Oh sweet baby M, we are ready to walk with you, to do life alongside you and to have the honor to watch you grow. To date, being a big sister to you and Ash is the single biggest privilege I have been given. I pray that you walk with Jesus, that one day He claims your heart and you allow him to consume your deepest passions. My dear sister, HE has given you such a story to tell the world - use it and I know for certain HE will work through it. May we never forget to give all the praise and glory to Christ - for HE has brought us together and I will be forever thankful for that.
I love you,
Welcome to the family!
Learned she could escape the chair at month 8, got brave at month 9 and ditched the chair
First Birthday in Nashville!
First of all, we totally had that chair growing up. My parents still have it in their house. :)
ReplyDeleteSecondly, this made me cry. Sweet baby girl! I am so glad she is part of your forever family now! What a blessing you are to her and she will be to you!