Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Five is Two


Two years ago today, a baby boy was born. We had NO IDEA he existed. And yet somehow through an emotionally confused maze of human choice, consequences for choices, God's sovereignty, grace, and the sometimes seeming insanity of His design --- that baby boy was ours. (click here and here for his introduction posts)

Lots of families have "oops" kids. (and yeah, I'm aware of the negative connotations behind that label and how most people try to avoid saying it in such terms or at least have sense to whisper it in the presence of said child...yada, yada.) Justus was our "oops" adoption. Just like those unexpected pregnancies, we hadn't planned on him and were not exactly prepared for him. Only difference being, we didn't have nine months to get used to the idea. We had six days. Six feverishly-insane-running-all-over-creation-to-file-appropriate-documents; buying-borrowing-and-begging-for-blue-baby-stuff; picking-out-boy-names-days. It was all very surreal, well, right up until the midnight feedings. It got real, REAL fast. ;-)

But even now, there are times that I look at this golden-toned, chunky-legged boy running through my house and think where did this kid come from? And I think of all the things that could have shaken down differently and kept us from getting that phone call from Amazing Grace Adoptions and I am struck by just what we could be missing: all the snot, poop, biting, fighting over toys...I'm kidding! I'm kidding! (I knew if I got to mushy and idealistic you would all be rolling your eyes by now. =)) Sure all those things came with him but we would also have missed the mischievous way he cuts his eyes, the way he talks to the chickens as though they've been anxiously waiting for him all day, and the sweetest, puckered up kisses on the planet to mention only a few.

And so the one who pushed us over the hump to number five is a whopping two year old and knowing how many more tantrums, spills, or diapers are left to endure... doesn't make me feel any less blessed!