AND SO IT BEGAN

And so it began…our journey to Brooks. One year ago today we received a phone call to catch the first plane we could to Ohio to pick up our daughter.  Little did we know what a journey we were about to embark on.

Marilyn Monroe said “Sometimes things fall apart so better things can fall together” and this is exactly what happened to us.  Everything fell apart and we were led to Brooks in Georgia.

After we adopted Connor we could not rest easy, we knew there was another baby needing to come to our home, Connor’s sibling. Justin and I both felt the spirit of another child and felt strongly we needed to keep proceeding with adoption, foster care or a pregnancy, whatever we could.  We prayed to Heavenly Father to guide us in the right direction and give us the faith we needed.

Maybe this sounds crazy but when we were matched with the Birthmother in Ohio due to have a baby girl we knew we were matched with the right situation.  But Justin and I also wondered if we were supposed to be placed with a baby boy instead of a baby girl. In the end we had strong feelings to pursue the adoption in Ohio, which ultimately led us to our adoption with Brooks. I cannot reiterate this enough, if we never went to Ohio to pick up baby girl we never would have ended up in Atlanta and been placed with Brooks.

To say we experienced a whirlwind of emotions is an understatement. Everything went wrong.  Looking back now we realize that everything from canceled flights to lost luggage was steering us in the right direction.

After this experience I’ve often wondered if when our lives are over we will look back and realize everything that seemed hard or wrong or unfair ultimately led us to a greater destination. Just like our journey to Brooks.

In the hospital when we picked up Brooks the social worker gave us a wash basin filled with baby supplies from a local shelter.  Maybe this is standard procedure for families adopting from out of state but it meant so much to us and helped us out greatly.  Although it was Christmas time and we were homesick and scared and emotionally drained, we were the recipients of so much generosity. We will never forget the kind people who helped us out and of course our dear family and friends who were at home praying and offering any support they could.

When we saw Brooks for the first time we knew we were guided to him.  It was not by chance, events occurred the way they did leading us to him. We recognized him and knew he was our child and Connor’s brother.

When we got back to our hotel the girl at the front desk asked if she could hold Brooks.  While she was holding him she said “We often think of God as mighty and strong, but every time I look at a newborn baby I realize that God is also soft and gentle and creative.  He takes the time to create their little noses, ears and fingers.  It is remarkable how he can make such little babies and make each one different and unique.”  I also know that this is true of our Heavenly Father and he will guide our lives in the direction they need to go. Just as he spends the time to create us he will spend the time to help us in our time of need. This year I have a greater sense of the true meaning of Christmas.  Of course traditions, parties, food and gifts are fun but ultimately we are celebrating Christ’s life and example.  It is what we do to help others and become more like Christ that is the most important. I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas filled with meaning and kindness.