It was two years ago that we walked into the infamous Guangzhou civil affairs office as a family of five, and walked out as a family of six.  Two years ago, I watched a timid and unsure boy sit on the other side of the red curtains while he waited for the unknown.  I waited eagerly and then anxiously rushed toward him when I saw the orphanage director take him by the hand to meet his forever family. And suddenly, I became a mama four times over as I held our precious, scared, brave little boy in my arms for the first time.  I was finally able to feel the weight of his body on my lap and breath in his scent and hear his sweet voice.  It was one of the most anticipated moments of my life, a first meeting I had been impatiently waiting over nine months for.  That moment was so beautiful, yet so difficult and painful.  Because even though adoption is a miracle, adoption is born from loss.  It comes from such a significant and heartbreaking hurt that no person should ever have to experience.  I can’t pretend to understand even a glimpse of the pain.

Thankfully, I know adoption also helps to write stories of redemption.  Through adoption, we’ve seen a small glimpse of our Abba Father’s remarkable redemption of us.  It’s a redemption that starts with broken pieces and pain.  Heartache and loss.  It’s a messy kind of redemption that doesn’t always have a direct route.  Sometimes it takes more of a slow, meandering path.  Beauty from ashes.

This journey is sometimes messy and definitely not easy, but so very worth it.  Even on the really hard days.  Especially on the really hard days.  Because when we mess up, we are forgiven by the One True God.  We get to see those really hard days be redeemed as we start the next day with new mercies.  We remember over and over again what His adoption of us means, as we try to grasp our eternal inheritance in heaven.  And we get to be a small part of His plan of redemption.  That is beautiful.

Today as we celebrate Thanksgiving and all of our blessings, we also celebrate two years together.  I am so incredibly thankful that God chose us to be his family.  To walk with him in his journey of life.  His journey of redemption.  He is precious and treasured and incredibly loved.  And he’s blessed us in more ways that we could ever imagine.  He is one of the happiest, joy-filled people I have ever met.  His zeal for life is unmatched.  And his laugh.  Oh my word, his laugh.  It’s absolutely contagious.  His love and compassion for others leave me speechless.  His sweet personality wins over everyone who has the pleasure of meeting him.  He has taught me so much about life and grace and mercy and redemption.  It’s an honor to be his mama and walk through life with him.  Happy Family Day to my precious son, who was fearfully and wonderfully made, and is so very loved!

“God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.” Galatians 4:5-6