How It All Started

We got the call from the Pregnancy Help Center asking us about housing her until her baby came in September. This just felt right! She came to live with us on June 6th. Sam had just started a new job that day. He had been downsized 5 weeks prior. But having another mouth to feed wasn't even considered because we knew that God wanted us to provide for her. What we didn't expect was that we would come to love her as a part of our family! She was very shy at first. The director of the center, she and I sat around the kitchen table talking about expections, and her pregnancy. She shocked me by saying that she didn't even want to know the sex of the baby or even to see the baby after birth. "WOW", was my thought! Her pregnancy was a result of being taken by a smooth talking, non-working, bad attitude guy. Because of her simpleness, she did not know how to get out of the situation and now she was in MN far away from the security and comfort of her home and family. Her parents, sensing the need make her safe, moved her out of state. It wasn't their guilt and shame that made them decide this, it was concern for their daughter's safety!
All summer long, she attended soccer games, swimming lessons, days at the beach, church, camping, and all of our family events. Our neighborhood took her in and invited her to softball games, and zoo visits. At home, she baked cookies, cookies and more cookies! Her talent is children. Children of all ages were drawn to her. She would color with them, play board games, water games, ghost in the graveyard, volleyball, you name it, she was there!!
You know, you can never fool children about what what's really in your heart. Her heart is pure innocence and fun! I am convinced by the evidence of the children's response to her.
On the day she went to pick out the parents who would adopt her child, I had a simple prayer. "Father, you know she can't handle complicated decisions, please make this simple and very clear to her." Faithfully, God honored that prayer. She was so excited when she came home! She showed me their profile and talked excitedly about them. (By this time, I knew that when she was talking, I should shut up and listen!) A young couple who loved outdoor activities, shared the same faith, and had a supportive family. It was perfect!
I have always been very pro-adoption but my experience with the adoptive parents on the birth day gave me a new insight into the process.
I have to close this post because daily duties are starting to call my name. I will write about the birth day for my next post.