Hotel Living

After we were given placement of Eliana and discharged from the hospital with her, we were required to remain in her birth state until something called ICPC cleared.  It is a requirement for a lot of paperwork reviews by both her birth state and our home state.  Just due to timing and how the medical records were released at her hospital, it took nine days.  Nine days of hotel living with three children and one being a newborn requires a little creativity, some patience and a pool.

 There was quite a bit of goofy.

 Grandpa reading the "funnies" with Caleb.

 Eliana's preferred sleeping place... on my belly.

 Daddy love.

 Lego construction.

More lego construction.

 And more legos.  Nine days, people.

Grandpa and Grandma.  They were so flexible to be willing to stay until whenever, but when we got word that we were free to go - they were just as thrilled as we were!

Brotherly Love

These big brothers have waited a long time for their little sister to arrive.  We talked with them about the adoption and what adoption meant during the home study process.  They knew we were waiting for a child to come and be a brother or sister.  They didn't know the ins and outs, as we really tried to be wise in guarding their hearts from things that are just too much for a four and six year old to process.  Some of their questions during the past year and as we were preparing to leave for our trip sent me reeling as it revealed how much they did understand and how deeply their minds think about these things.

Here is a funny that I will share:
Last April: 
Caleb: "I can't wait till we get a little sister."
Jonathan: "It might be a brother, Caleb."
Caleb: "But we want a sister."
Jonathan: "Caleb, if it's a boy, we're just going to have to deal."

The first days

The hospital where Eliana was born was so helpful and accommodating, and provided the use of a private room near the nursery where we could spend time alone with Eliana.  Holding, feeding, cuddling and loving on her.  We were there with her as much as they allowed (we had to leave for five hours in the middle of the night) until she was discharged.

There were two very excited big brothers waiting in the lobby to meet their little sister when we were ready to leave.  Caleb was a little more hesitant to touch and hold her initially but after he warmed up to the idea: she got lots and lots of love from that boy, too.

Jamie's mom flew with Jamie and the boys and she hung out with the boys when Jamie and I were both at the hospital.  We are so thankful as it allowed us to have the boys there with us, but also gave Jamie and I the freedom to be at the hospital with just Eliana a good bit.

Rewind

"You have a baby?!?!"

This is the comment we've received often from friends and neighbors the past couple of weeks as we've settled into life as a family of five.  It seems all of a sudden to many because the waiting isn't obvious to the casual observer.  We've been praying for and waiting for Miss E for a long time.

We began (slowly) pursuing adoption in May of 2012.  The ways that God led us to that place over the course of our marriage is too much for a little blog, but we began the active steps to pursuing adoption that May.  Active steps included things like a home study (paperwork mania), applying to agencies, making a profile book that expectant parents would see when selecting an adoptive family for their little one, and so on.  We had a few logistical snags but were home study ready in November.  Home study ready means that you are able to be selected by expectant parents and placed with a child for adoption.

The next part is a long chapter: waiting.  We knew God had called us to this place to be ready to say yes to all sorts of situations.  It would be untrue and misrepresent what God promises to say we knew we would be sitting here, a year later, with this amazing little one in our home.  God called us to say yes to all sorts of situations, he called us to pray like crazy for each little one and each expectant parent.  But we were not promised a child at the end of the waiting... God promised us that he would be enough, no matter what the end result would be.

We had tough situations and decisions to make.  Very tough.  Ones that made me wonder what we were doing in walking this road.  We also had a failed match.  The other day I was reading through my journal from the past year, and I got to the week after we found out that this was a "no" that we thought was going to be a "yes".  The adoption worker who helped throughout the whole process had offered to put our family as options for situations without us knowing (just ones that fit our budget, etc) as hearing "no" is very hard.  Especially after the most recent disappointment.  My journal said it best: "I think if I choose to not pray for each and every situation I will miss it, Lord.  My view of your kingdom is too small if I think our only role in pursuing adoption is if a child is placed with our family.  I have prayed for twenty nine little ones and twenty nine parents, Lord.  I trust that whatever the outcome is: little one or no little one, that you have called me to pray for each of those families."

So we stepped back in, kept praying.  And we were matched with another expectant parent.  The due date was a little ways away so we just kept it to ourselves and prayed.  As the day got closer and we received doctors' reports of the progress and had an expected arrival date, we shared with our families.

Little Miss E arrived on a Tuesday late in the evening, and we all took a very, very early flight on the next Wednesday morning to get there as quickly as possible.  I arrived at the hospital before Jamie as he took a connecting flight with his mother and the boys.

Sweet baby girl was waiting when I got there...

And we got to love on her, feed her, hold her, name her...

She is an amazing, amazing gift.  We are thankful beyond measure to call her sister and daughter.

Her name means "God has answered":
When we asked the Lord whether this is what he had called us to, he has answered. 

When we asked him for help, he answered.

When we asked for clarity and discernment, he answered.

Not because he said yes to a sweet baby, but because he is enough.

And he answered that he will always be enough for her.