The Blessing of Adoption
A number of families at FBC have chosen to adopt and I know of no family that regrets this decision. The sister-in-law of someone in our church just adopted a cute little Chinese girl named Sadie Mei. For her friends and extended family, she’s been keeping a blog of the adoption process and journey. On the day of her adoption, she penned some very sweet thoughts about the process. Here’s they are for your enjoyment & contemplation:
It's about 4:20 am China time. Guess I've fully adjusted to the time change cause I could never sleep around this time at home either. These wee hours are when I do my best thinking and so I felt compelled to get up and try to capture some of these thoughts before they slip away. Please know I'm writing this post for Sadie but I'm happy to let you eavesdrop on my ponderings.
Sadie I wish could tell you everything I felt the day I met you. It was fully two years from the day I felt God gave me His great invitation to trust Him for you until the day He delivered us to you. What a remarkable gift you are. I continually marvel that He should find us fit to be entrusted with such a precious gift. So many families in the world and He chose ours! I can't get over it.
My mind was a maelstrom of emotions that day. I felt so many different things. Angst and relief. Nervous excitement. Fear. Wonder. Mild disappointments overpowered by surprising delights. I cried and I laughed. I smiled so hard my head hurt. I loved watching your daddy's joy. The emotions were almost too much to bear. But the one resounding emotion, "the repeating refrain," was simple gratitude.
The moment they called us forward to give you to us passed too quickly. It took less than 10 minutes for 13 families to change forever. The room was so noisy but it didn't matter. Each family took their baby to some corner of the room and just swam around in her eyes. You were so captivating and quiet. You just stared into my eyes for the longest time. We got lost in a crowded room and forgot that just three feet away was another couple entranced in a world of their own with a squalling baby and bright eyed parents.
And then the moment came where I looked up. I looked around the whole room and I saw it. I saw 13 familyless babies become someone's child. 13 baby girls who were alone in the world—orphans—are now folded into families to be forever cherished. I wanted to stamp my feet and shake an angry fist at the world and demand it to stop spinning so fast on its axis! Won't time relent just this once and slow down? Look at what's happening here! This is glory. God's glory is filling a room in Chongqing and who is here to see it but us? I want to savor that moment and preserve it lest it recede behind the details of our routine lives.
Sadie you've been in my heart for two years and in my arms for one week but you are changing me. You show me God's love in a new way. I can't escape the wonder of His own adoption of me. Why did He do it? I don't know. Why did He set His set His affection on me? Because He wanted to and He was pleased to do so. Can He love me as much as He loves His 'real' son? I think yes. What did it cost Him? A whole lot more than a jet ride over the ocean, lost luggage and fever. Am I His forever? Forever and a day. How my fortunes have changed and I did absolutely nothing to earn or deserve such a rich inheritance.
Sadie you are a gift. My heart swells when I think of you and your big brothers. All four of you are the good gifts of a kind and perfect Author. I have no doubt that God knew before the day you were conceived just what was going to happen to you in the first year of your life Sadie. He has a story to write into your life Sadie and my prayer is that as you grow up you will discover and embrace that story. Your story is your own and you will shine like a star when you put your trust in Him. I'm delighted God scripted your Dad and I into your story. I can hardly wait for the next chapter!
Wo ai ni
Sadie Tong Tong, Wo ai ni.
In case you’re curious, I’m pretty sure "Wo ai ni" means "I love you."