Our Adoption Story:
The past two years have been some of the most growing of our lives. Saying yes to adoption is like saying yes to one of the hardest, most rewarding adventures you can be a part of. God truly does make beautiful things out of the dust. Not just with Enock, but in our hearts as well.
Our adoption journey started in February 2009, although we were not aware of it at the time. We had just moved, my husband Jake was starting a new job and we were adjusting to life with our 2 month old son Camp. Through a number of avenues, God started making us aware of the orphan crisis and convicting our hearts for not reflecting his for the fatherless. In February 2010, half way around the world our son Enock was left an orphan, and we began the process to adopt.
We have been amazed at how the gospel is so clearly reflected throughout the adoption process. As we waited with great anticipation, longing to bring our son home, we were reminded of how Christ was on earth for 33 years, waiting and longing for things to be restored. How his heart must have hurt to see such brokenness and have to wait to bring that restoration. The verse that kept resonating in my heart was Zeph. 3:17 “For the Lord your God is with you and he is mighty to save.” HE is mighty to save.
October 6th 2011, Jake, Camp and I flew to Uganda to be united with our son Enock. Our 4 weeks there changed our lives. We fell in love with a country so broken and so loved by God. We learned from many believers there what true dependence on God looked like and how to praise Him in all circumstances. We had the privilege of tasting and seeing what true biblical community looks like as our friends and family loved on us, skyped with us, provided for us, prayed for us and rejoiced with us.
There is so much beauty in adoption stories as families pursue their child from far away and then one day bring them home. But I see the most beauty in what comes after that. As you live the day to day, walk through the difficult and messy as well as rejoice in the victories. We have been home for 7 months now and are still teaching Enock what family means. We are helping him understand and trust that we are forever. He and Camp have bonded so well. They truly love each other and look out for one another. That has brought such joy to my heart. I have also loved watching him bond with his dad. Jake has been so good with him, shepherding his heart and just playing hard with him like every great dad does. The person he has taken the longest to attach to is me. It seems like we take 5 steps forward and 3 steps back. Just as he seems to trust me and come to me as his mom, we hit another cycle of disconnect. In those times I have been reminded of how God pursued me and loved me first. In time, Christ is teaching me to have a supernatural love.
I go through the motions as someone does that is practicing or learning something new. God meets me in those moments and is teaching me how to love. At first I simply chose to breathe deep and smell his precious head at bedtime, to hold him, look into his eyes with a soft smile, take his little cheeks in my hands and tell him that I love him. Slowly in some ways, and much faster in others, those motions have been followed with feelings. Then one day I caught myself looking at him from across the room and saying somewhere quietly in my heart “that’s my son and I love him so much”.
God is making something beautiful within our family and we are gladly along for the ride. We look forward to what the years ahead of us bring and pray with great expectation that God would demonstrate and declare the gospel through our family.
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