Thanksgiving....

I know. I don't live in the United States, and so today is not Thanksgiving Day - not the official holiday kind anyway.

But here in our home, it is a thanksgiving day. Not only because I think every day should be a thanksgiving day, but because this day is filled with a bit more thanksgiving than yesterday. You know why? Because it was this date a year ago that we received the blessed news that we were chosen. Chosen for a baby, that is.

It all started with going back on The List in April of 2011. We again filled out the paperwork necessary, got the police checks and fingerprints done, all to prove we were fit to be parents. I am sure once our kids hit the lovely teen years, they will really wonder how we passed The Test of being fit to be parents, but that's a long ways off from now :o)

We did put ourselves on three lists this time. With Keziah, we just went on the list at Beginnings. This time we went on Beginnings, Jewels for Jesus and a list in Waterloo/Kitchener. We had heard that to receive a second child through adoption might be more challenging as many birthparents like their baby to be the first/oldest child in the family. You may wonder why, but it kind of makes sense, I guess. Think of how much attention that first child receives!! So we felt that by putting our names on a few lists, the "chances" might be higher for the opportunity to adopt another child.

We also knew that we most likely would not be chosen as quickly as we were with Keziah. You can't get much quicker than being on the list for only 5 weeks!!! And so we waited. And waited. Being made to wait for something is so refining! You can only put your trust in God, because as soon as you don't, you can easily get down, frustrated, disappointed, impatient, angry, bitter, you name it. I know because those are some of the feelings that I struggled with as we waited to see what God's plan was for our little family.

And yet, after only 7 months of waiting, with lots of possible opportunities to adopt a baby or toddler (that year we were presented with at least 15 situations, 2 of which we went after), with two disappointing and discouraging "no's", one in July and one in September, we received an email on November 19 of another possibility to adopt a baby that was due December 27th. We were interested in this one (and no, we did not know if it was a boy or a girl. People ask that. I wonder why....) and allowed our profile to be presented to the birthparents. We knew they were looking at the profiles on Tuesday, November 22nd, and so we hung on tight in prayer. It could very well be another "no", like the last two we were presented for. I remember praying not for a "yes" but more for the strength and encouragment to be able to take another "no". The last two times I did not take God's answer of "no" very gracefully. Actually, to think of it. I still don't take His answers in humbleness when it doesn't match up to what I want. Yup, still refining.

We tried to keep busy that day, trying hard not to check our email a 1000 times. You see, if it was a 'no', we would be notified through email. If it was a 'yes', we would get a call.

I had a meeting that night and left without receiving an email or a call. Don't ask me what that meeting was about though. Good thing I did have the job of Secretary for that committee, as it helped me to somewhat focus on the task at hand. Once the meeting was over, I left and called Nathan. He still had not heard anything. And so we thought and remembered that making this decision was a very difficult one for the birthparents, and so it could take a few days.

I came home around 10:30 and Nathan greeted me at the door. Well, wouldn't you know it, after I hung up the phone with him, he got a call. The Call. That's right!!! It was so neat that he got it, because I got Keziah's. So each of us had a turn to share the news with each other!!!

While we were chosen for Keziah after 5 weeks of waiting and then waited 4 months for her to be born, here we waited 7 months and then had to get everything ready in 6 weeks! Good thing we had a big helper to help us get things ready :o)

Sure enough, just over 6 weeks later, we welcomed into our lives, Lincoln Denver Edward Helder. We can't thank God enough. All 3 of us can't get enough of him and love him to bits.

Having a boy sure brings a whole new perspective to life!

But I can't just end here. While we go through our many "anniversaries" of thanksgiving, we can't help but think of those whose prayer requests have not been granted. Their prayers may have been answered, but not with the answers they had hoped for. May we all be a hand and foot to one another by not only sharing in each other's joys but also share in the hardships. And if you are going through a hardship, whether it's related to the topic of adoption or not, whatever that hardship may be, cling to our Sovereign God, the One who knows so much more than what our feeble human minds can ever know or understand. And never forget these words of our heavenly Father, written in Colossians 3: 1-4
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory."

No, not easy to do. Good thing we have the gift of His Holy Spirit. Then these words can bring much comfort and focus/purpose/perspective. May God continue to surround us all with these words and His love. And may we all have a beautiful thanksgiving day everyday.