One Year Ago

One year ago today, our lives were changed.

Well, it was on the 10th, but it was a Monday.

We had been in the adoption process for a year, and had been approved & waiting for 3 months. In the world of adoption, waiting 3 months in nothing. But, we had been trying to have a baby for 9 years, so we were very ready for the wait to be over.

Throughout the summer, I'd been learning faith & patience. God had been dealing with me in a whole new way. I was leading a Ladies Bible Study on Wednesdays and He used those ladies to speak to me, encourage and support me.

By Monday, December 10th, I was ready to let go of any control I wanted in having our child. I told God that morning, if He wanted to wait another year to make me a mommy, I would trust His plan. Around lunchtime, my pastor called to touch base with me & see how I was holding up. I told him the same that I had just told God.

Then around 1:30 I was at the computer, though for the life of me, I can't remember what I was doing. Anyhow, the phone rang... I saw it was our adoption agency... now, I need to back up for those who don't know this story.

Just after Thanksgiving last year, our agency seemed to have a lot of babies born or being born. They were all either black or bi-racial. Not many adoptive couples are willing to adopt other than white babies. Our profile was being shown to 3 mothers, who were placing their babies for adoption. So, I was fielding a lot of calls from our Case Worker. Every time that phone rang, I held my breath. I was always afraid of what it might be... another mom who chose another family, or went MIA. Yet, I was also hopeful that it would be THE call.

So, that Monday afternoon the phone rang. I can still hear Carolyn's words. "Kelly, this is Carolyn. This is THE call sweety. You have been chosen." Tears are filling my eyes as I write this. She told me all the details, yet I could barely hear her. haha I had to call her back to get it all again. I called my husband and told him he was daddy & had a son. Then, I spent the rest of the day (and 3 phone batteries!) calling our family and friends.

Our years of waiting were coming to an end! We did have to wait almost 2 weeks to bring Nathan home, and in some ways , it felt longer than the 9 year wait!!

Not a day goes by that I'm not reminded of how God prepared me for that day. I had to be broken down and humbled. I had to completely surrender to His plans. My son will always be a reminder to me that God knows best. Someone recently commented on how well Nathan fits us. I smiled, because I know God knew which baby we were to have.

That baby, is now a toddler. He has so much personality and is a little lovebug. He loves hugs & kisses & cuddling with his mama. He also loves to rough-house, tackling his daddy whenever he can. He is obsessed with his dogs, and looks for them after every nap. He has a little southern accents that melts my heart. His eyes sparkle and his smile lights up his whole face. He has a temper that rivals any, and can scream like no other.

I pray daily that I am up to the task of molding him into the man that God wants to him to be. I pray that he will be loving, and strong, respectful and kind, generous and smart, and most of all God fearing. I plan to teach him how to sew, cook, and clean, while his daddy can't wait to teach him about tools, cars and guy stuff. lol Mike and I have always said that we want our kids to be well rounded, and know how to do things for themselves.

If you made it through this long post, thank you. I enjoyed remembering that special day.