Preparing for our 'After the Airport'

We are 12 days away from getting onto the first airplane that will take us over 5,000 miles across the ocean and that much closer to our son. 15 days until he's finally in our arms forever. 20 days until we begin the long journey home and our whole family will all be together again!

Now seems to be a good time to repost the links to some good posts that others may find helpful at this phase of the adoption process. Those who may have any contact with us in the weeks and months to come...both family and friends. We will be keeping to ourselves quite a bit. This is not like bringing home a newborn or any 6yo child you know.

Our little guy has experienced a loss that you and I have may never have. He will have to grieve that loss. Not just leaving behind all he has every known...but the bond that a baby has with their mother before birth was broken when he was left at the hospital. We do not know if he has ever had a chance to work through and grieve that loss at all. We have no idea what the caretakers have told him to prepare him for joining our family. He does not yet know that the changes to come are in his best interests and all the good things that are ahead of him. I can imagine he will have a lot of fear and saddness and it will be overwhelming very quickly.

Right now he is used to the same thing every day. Same routine, same foods, same bed, same toys, same activities, same group of children, but different caretakers. Day after day. Week, month and year after year, that is all he has known for 6 years so far. I can imagine how well I would handle this if I were him.

As hard as it has been to read and imagine at times, I do appreciate the honesty and openness of families who have shared the struggles and joys of what the reality is like after their children come home.

I imagine we, as God's children, put up as much a fight when we become His child, the one He paid the ransom of His life for! It's more comfortable and familiar where we were in our selfishness and sin. We can't see the future and the big picture, we are afraid of the challenges and tests of our faith we know will come when we become a Christian. I wonder how much it grieves our Lord to see us struggle and not accept His love and the relationship He wants to have with us. Yet, such joy that does come when we do!

We  covet your prayers in the days, weeks and months to come!

We are praying:
...for health for the whole family
...that Ben's heart is prepared to accept our love and that he will be able to bond with us
...that the trip will go smoothly
...that all of our children will fully feel a part of everything and no one will get left out (not sure how to word this one but we know adding a new brother will effect every member of our family in unique ways and we want each of them to feel special and loved, not replaced or slighted)
...that God will receive all the glory of Ben's redemption
...for strength and wisdom as we learn how to parent Ben and accomodate his special needs in addition to everything already on our plates
...to find joy in the little things, to treasure each of our children for who they are, to rejoice in trying and learning, to be united as a family and a couple, to love as God loves...fully and unconditionally...


How To Be The Village

After The Airport