Friends

I have come to realize that although the waiting of this adoption feels like torture most days yet it is precisely because of that waiting that I have made some wonderful new friends and connections.

They are my lifeline. Nobody understands the pain of waiting like another adoptive mommy. It's pure therapy to reach out to them and know they honestly, 100% get it. God is so good to remind us that we are never alone and that He is with us each and every step.

While we are in the home stretch I'm living vicariously though those same friends as they blog about their time in China. I'm loving all the pictures that give me a glimpse of what is ahead of me. I cry over these blogs. No joke. Tears, buckets of tears.

Adoption is beautiful and miraculous, and grounded in brokenness. It's heartbreaking to see the nanny that sobs as she says goodbye to the baby she has been loving for the past years. It rips your heart out to see and hear how these kids are grieving. They are too young to understand and all they know is they are being handed to strangers by the same people they have loved and attached to and then those people leave. And their new mommy and daddy don't speak their language!

But it's also beautiful to see them grow attached to their mommy and daddy. It's amazing to get to see those pictures of those first attempts at bonding. So, until we get to have the experience ourselves I'm soaking in all the news of these ladies!

Go check out their blogs:

http://ourlittlepinkchinabare.blogspot.com/2013/01/gotcha-day.html

http://fortunateblessings.blogspot.com/2013/01/china-day-4.html?spref=fb

http://www.growingourfamilyto7.blogspot.com/

http://www.amountainawaits.com/

Mine

It came. Fifty five days of the longest waiting of my life. I'd be lying if I didn't admit to starting to have some doubts. But here it is! 

 LOA!!! Also, known as the Letter of Acceptance. 

He's mine, really, truly mine. 

This is a book I bought almost two years ago now when we were still in the domestic foster care program.

Little did I know, right?

We are so, so close to the end. Maybe only 8 weeks until I can finally hold my son. 

All we have left is to get our immigration approval, apply for our visa's for China

and then wait for China to issue approval for us to enter their country.

That's it!! Then we get to fly to officially make him a Hurst.

We are also so very close to finishing with our funds. 

In order to help push us to the finish line I made this bracelet to sell for only $10!

The verse I have claimed over and over again is Zephaniah 3:17

The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.

In the process of our adoption this little boy has grown up...

Into this handsome boy. My heart aches to make that smile come back.

Soon, little man, soon.

Hang on just a little longer!

I have learned a lesson. My God truly is mighty to save.

And He chose to save this one.

My heart overflows.

Royalty

Something miraculous happens when you step out of your own will and step into the light of the will of Christ. He changes you from that first step. He opens your eyes. He shows you the world as He sees it. I've heard it said that once your eyes are opened they never close again.

An adopting friend recently brought up the subject of how we are all so uncomfortable with others telling us that they are "proud" of us for adopting. I think we all step onto the road of adoption without knowing how God is going to change us. Somewhere in the process we no longer understand that some consider what we do a "sacrifice." Because somewhere in the process God changes our hearts and we see these children as God sees them. We see them as royalty. And they are. They are royalty. 

Have you ever watched those "Gotcha Day" videos? They are the greatest picture of God's love I think we can see on this earth. Those that the world calls orphans, deformed, handicapped are treated as royalty. The awe on the faces of those parents is breathtakingly beautiful. Is there any better picture of how God loves his children despite our sins that leave us scarred and ugly? Our hearts are orphaned and deformed and yet He calls us sons and daughters.

Kings and Queens.

The phrase "the least of these" turns my head these days. I can't understand how these kids are considered to be in that category. I see their faces everyday on blogs and on lists and sit with wonder as to why in heavens name people aren't storming the gates to gather them into their arms. Somehow God gives you His eyes and you see their "deformities" as beauty, true beauty. I've seen babies that once upon a time I couldn't even look upon and find myself wishing I could touch their faces, kiss their wounds and tell them how much Jesus loves them. They are SO beautiful. Stunning.

A doctor once told me that it didn't have to be us to adopt Simon. Someone would step forward. Why put that on ourselves? I cried for my son that day. Someone didn't think he was worth the trouble. He was too sick to bring home. God opened my eyes a little more that day and has continued to do so. 

I am the one that is privileged, not him. May he always feel like a prince in my home. I am being given the most precious gift of loving on royalty. God holds these ones close to Him and through Simon I am being given a glimpse of heaven in all of it's beauty. It steals my breath away. 

"The least of these?" 

May it never be. They are royalty, My Friends. 

Stand in awe of their beauty. 

Stunningly gorgeous.

God give us your eyes as we start this new year.  Help us, sweet Jesus, to bring them home. Fill our arms, fill our homes with the beauty that is found in these children. Teach us to love Dear Father. Teach us to love. Give us Your eyes for beauty. May we understand true beauty.