Today, we are celebrating the 1 year anniversary of THE day we saw the two pictures that would forever change our lives.  I was finishing up work at the church house, in a meeting, and noticed Amanda had called.  She then texted and said call me and that it was urgent.  I left the meeting, called my wife and listened to hear tearful pleas for me to go to my computer and look at these two pictures:

It was of a little boy that was 14 days younger than Obadiah.  All that we knew was that he was “severely malnourished…developmental delays…cannot walk, crawl, or bear weight on legs.”

We had a date night planned that night.  On the way to Greenville that night, I called the agency who sent us more information on this child who in the weeks to come would be matched with our family.  That night waiting for a table for dinner, Amanda asked me while we were looking at his picture on the phone, “You think we are looking at a picture of our son, don’t you?”

“Yes ma’am, I really do.”

Dec. 23, 2009, we first saw his pictures.  May 1, 2010, he ate his first meal in our home.  As of Dec. 23, 2010, he is walking, running, dancing, talking, eating, potty-trained (as of last week – in one day !  Thank you, Jesus and Amanda!), praying, playing, and inspiring others with his every move!

So, in celebration of this anniversary of seeing Eli’s precious face for the first time, I thought I would give you two new pictures taken a couple of weeks ago when our two boys were the ring bearers in a wedding for some of our dear friends, Jared and Anna Leigh Skinner.  Here you go:

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8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with Him, 9 because we know that Christ, having been raised from the dead, no longer dies. Death no longer rules over Him. 10 For in that He died, He died to sin once for all; but in that He lives, He lives to God. 11 So, you too consider yourselves dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.
(Romans 6:8-11, HCSB)

You’re Not an Orphan Anymore

Our son was an orphan. He’s not anymore. The moment that I picked him up out of his crib in Ethiopia, he ceased to be an orphan. He was a son. He was a member of our family as much as any other member was.

Adoption will always be a part of his history, but it will not be his identity.

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1 Now I say that as long as the heir is a child, he differs in no way from a slave, though he is the owner of everything. 2 Instead, he is under guardians and stewards until the time set by his father. 3 In the same way we also, when we were children, were in slavery under the elemental forces of the world. 4 But when the completion of the time came, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. 6 And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “, Father!” 7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.

(Galatians 4:1-7, HCSB)

Nature vs. Nurture

One of the most widespread fears of adoption is that parents are unsure of what “they are getting themselves into” with a child of unknown history.  Even if parents believe in the power of nurture, they may still have concern concerning the effect that nature had on the child.  Did the biological parents pass bad traits down to that child?  Have they experienced something that may make them difficult to raise?

But does a parent of a child really know what they “are getting” even with a biological child?  There are surprises at every turn.  The only parent who really knows what he is getting into is God.

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Today is a day to celebrate.  It is exactly 6 months since the day Eli and myself landing back at GSP airport.  6 months.  6 pictures (because a pictures says 1,000 words, right?).  Watch the difference 6 months can make:

April 26 - First Time Holding My Son

May - 1st Gifts - 2nd Birthday

June 16 - Exams at MUSC

July 24 - Adventure Museum

Sept 3 - Styling at the Zoo

October 30 - Farmer Boys

Ephesians 3:20 Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us,21 to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.

A few weeks ago, I was riding Obie and Eli in the Walmart buggy while Amanda was grocery shopping.  As I attempted to keep them occupied, we ran into some friends.  The boys started to hand out the high-fives to our friends when an older black man that I did not know came up and insisted on getting high-fives himself and then walked off.

One minute later, he came back and interrupted the conversation by pointing to Eli and asking, “Sir, excuse me, but are you mentoring this young boy?”

Before I got to respond to this funny question as this stranger pointed at my tiny 2-year-old, Eli looked up at me and tried to get my attention by saying, “Daddy?”

This man stated, “I’m sorry, is this boy your son?!”

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