On April 13, 2016, our family officially decided to begin the adoption process. My hub and I had been talking about it for over a decade. But it was on April 13, 2016, that we finally decided: Yes. Our daughter was waiting. Somewhere out there, she was waiting. So, on that day, we immediately began the extensive paper chase to obtain the many, MANY documents required to complete our dossier so that we could one day adopt her from China.
On April 13, 2017, exactly one year to the day that we decided to adopt, I saw our daughter's face for the first time.
We had completed our dossier five months prior and had been waiting for that fateful, "You've been matched!" call. Instead, we had a different sort of call, during which we learned that our wait would be much longer than we had initially been told. Much longer. So, I had started checking adoption advocacy websites a few weeks before, just in case. There were so many beautiful children waiting for families listed on these websites. But our child just wasn't there. She wasn't listed. I kept looking, from time to time, but I just couldn't find her. Until April 13, 2017. On April 13th, I happened to check a particular advocacy site. There she was. She had been listed hours before. I saw her. And I knew. That's our girl.
On April 13, 2018, our daughter is home. She has been ours for 8.5 months now, and this day will always hold special meaning for me. It brings me to my knees. The tears fall, my heart swells, and I look at my daughter, so very thankful for our April 13ths - the day God led us to adopt, the day God led us straight to her, the day God blesses us as we sit here, watching her play underfoot. God is good. And for our family, so is April 13th.
How amazing that God would choose a day most people are scared or skeptic about to begin this journey for y’all. I praise Him in His wisdom, His timing and His love! Friday the 13th will be a special day in our lives as well. Our youngest son and his fiancé are getting married on April 27 but on July 13th she will give birth to our grandson. And although his blood isn’t ours, (he was conceived in another relationship) he will be a Blaylock in every way possible. I know God will have His hand in this child’s life and we get to watch it all unfold. How exciting it will be. I am so thankful that y’all decided to go through this journey, and its obvious that Bella was born just for y’all!! God bless her. God bless your family. I know He will bless ours!
ReplyDelete