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.