enlarging our tent, part 3 another adoption!

Do y’all remember when we first decided to become foster parents?

Do ya’ll remember our waiting on our first placement? And this happened?

Now….

Last November we said yes once more to another NICU baby; this time : a preemie, and circumstances at birth required her to be resuscitated.. to put it bluntly, she had a rough start. She came to us, smaller than a football, thin, and with a transparent hue to her skin that exposed every vein as if she were marbleized. She didn’t know how to latch onto a bottle, and feeding times were a hot mess of spilled formula, tremors from withdrawals and inconsolable crying.

This is not uncommon for us.

We had done this before. We will do it again.

But; just as a seed with sprout in the right conditions; so did she.

We soon found out that she would not be placed back where she came from. There was not an option for her to return.

With every placement foster parents are asked if they are willing to adopt. It’s standard procedure… but the goal of fostering is not generally adoption. Except in very rare, extreme cases. And, a few days later , I had received a call from the attorney of the newborn, asking me that question.

So, we said yes.

Again.

Things happen when you step out of your comport zone, and let your faith be bigger than your fear. Things happen when you stop trying to control life in attempts to get the outcome you want, or think you deserve.

Think about it: God did everything right, but the reaction His people had was not what he deserved. We are completely wrong to think that by doing the “right thing” we deserve anything. But: what a gift it is, when we are blessed.

The cup overflows and I did not deserve this wonderful abundance of life.

And; for that reason alone: I am, and will always be eternally grateful to the giver of life.

Over the weekend, we celebrated her turning one.

This past year has been one filled with excitement, awe and joy.

Now we are in the stage of watching her learn to walk, and babble.. play with her big sisters and begin to interact with her little “sister”… these moments in life are too precious to waste, and having the chance to do all of this over again overwhelms me with joy.

All because we stepped out of our comfort zone, let our faith be bigger than our fear, and we said YES.

So, today… as you go about your day. Think about what dictates your response to life circumstances : Is it fear? Anger? Selfishness? Bitterness? Resentment?