Her Face

As we enter the final stretch of our "wait", I am looking back at how far we have come. Many wonder how this adoption ever started, we have 4 beautiful yet crazy kiddos (3 who came to us via adoption), why in the world would we "rock the boat" even more? About 18 years ago, God placed a vision in my heart of a "face". This face was beautiful light brown, with huge brown eyes and big curly hair --a GIRL. During this time, our first son was born and his two brothers were adopted. I had many dreams about this face, even while keeping up with the little boys who so blessed our family. As foster parents, she came to us many times and was a gentle reminder of the hope the Lord had given to us. Then one day we got a phone call for a newborn girl, and knew right away, that she was ours. Her beautiful face was not what I saw in my dreams, but He guided her adoption into our family with His gentle hands and master skill. We knew she was meant to be in our family, we knew that the Lord had a plan, a plan much bigger than all of our dreams. We also knew that we needed to be patient and wait. We prayed for this little girl as a family, a sister to our clan, where was she Lord? We were then chosen by a birthmother, and she was in Ohio. I remember thinking at the time, Ohio, really? But as we opened our hearts to this mom and her baby girl, we grew closer to the Lord and to His plan. His plan was not for this baby to be in our family, but that journey opened our hearts to a path we never thought that we could take, the path of international adoption. God then opened our hearts to the children of Ethiopia. Once again, as we worked through our paperwork, and began fundraising and waiting, our plans EXPLODED. This time to 3 waiting children, siblings, and it was then that I saw her face. It was then that I also saw the face of her brother and sister. Our hearts were changed, our plans were diverted, and then it became about HIM. No longer was this vision that he placed in my heart 18 years ago about me. Wow. So this is what the journey has been about all along, something bigger than me. We knew that we could not do this alone. We knew that financially, emotionally, spiritually we could not, and therefore needed to be on our knees--just where He intended all along. Praising Him for bringing us to the finish line. Praising Him that His ways are better than our ways. What if 18 years ago He gave me what I asked for, WHEN I wanted it? As I look back over the race He placed us on, I am so grateful for the children we have been blessed with and for the ones who will be joining our family very soon. I am so thankful for those who have chosen to walk beside of us emotionally, spiritually and financially. I am especially thankful for the ONE who loves me and heard my cry and gave me a NEW SONG to sing. It was never about her face, it was about His. "I waited patiently for the Lord, He turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire, He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord" Psalm 40:1-3.