A Blue Leaf

On this day, last year, shortly after lunch our phone rang.  I answered to the lovely voice of our case worker telling us our referral had come in.  After tearing up, grabbing a jacket, really tearing up, walking outside, crying, conference calling with Tim, really crying, we heard that we had a son.

What a fantastic moment.  After all the waiting to know that we had been chosen to be the parents of a 11 month old little boy.  We decided to wait and tell the kids together that evening.  We had planned on doing our "Tree of Thanksgiving" that night so it worked perfectly.

Tradition has it that we write or draw things we are thankful for.  Then go around and take turns reading them and hanging them on the tree.

I wrote, "We are thankful for your new baby brother."

I could hardly read it because I was so excited!  Their reaction was priceless!

I am so happy that Carson is home this year to terrorize and wreck our Tree of Thanksgiving.  ;)  This little man has brought so much joy and laughter into our home the past 7 months.  I remember so clearly that night reading this verse...

"Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name;  make known among the nations what he has done."

1 Chronicles 16:8

Make known what he has done.

What had He done?

The Lord used my family to be His hands and feet to offer love, acceptance, hope, joy, peace, redemption, security, belonging to a little boy that had a terrible start to his life. 

The Lord, like in all lives, set out to create a redemptive ending to a tragic situation.

There is nothing like seeing your child's face for the first time, either out of the womb or in a referral packet.  That, in itself, is a work of the Holy Spirit.

"Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name;  make known among the nations what He has done."