Happy 7th Birthday, Ethan!

There are a few days each year that I get very nostalgic--May 27 (our anniversary), May 16 (the day my Aunt Dixie died), Mother's Day weekend (because my grandma died the day before I graduated from college), March 18 (the day Evan was born), and today. September 5. The day Ethan was born!

When I delivered Evan, all I remember is how I didn't have any medicine because it was "time to push," Eric stepping on my IV and blood was running out of my body & onto the floor, and how they covered me with these really heavy warm blankets right after he was born because I was shivering so badly. I didn't get to see him get his little bath or get weighed. I didn't really get to see him for quite awhile.

But with Ethan...it was quite different. I didn't have ANY physical pain...yes we were all happy emotional wrecks...but no pain!  We had the blessed opportunity to be in the nursery with him when the nurse gave this 9 1/2 pound sumo wrestler his first bath. We even got to spend a few hours cuddling, holding, and oohing & ahhing over him! 

 You see, God blessed us with such a unique opportunity to have two miraculous sons--one by birth and one through adoption.  "The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with JOY!" Psalm 126:3

Now, going through the difficult and painful process of years of infertility, numerous doctor visits, completing the mountains of adoption paperwork, having one mom choose us & change her mind right before the baby was born, and then having to wait another 9 long Months were NOT times that I would call JOYOUS or even fun, but oh the blessing we received when God worked all of this out for His (and our) good! (Romans 8:28)

Looking back, I would not have it any other way.  You see, I'm a little stubborn (ok maybe more than a little). And I was bound & determined that I wanted to birth another child. I loved being pregnant with Evan & I so desired to experience that again.  I truly thought it would be great to even have twins. 

I learned to claim Psalm 37:4 as my verse through these times.  "Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart."  I learned that meant that I needed to DELIGHT in the LORD and then HIS desires for me would become my desires.

And God, in His wisdom, knew I needed to experience all that we did with our numerous drives to the Shreveport doctor in order to break MY will and get to a place that I would be willing to adopt.  

And God, in His wisdom,  also placed some wonderful friends, Monica & Shawn, in our lives who adopted two beautiful children through Christian Homes in Abilene.  And as we finally began the process, we met several others who successfully adopted children. 

And would you believe that my sweet friend, Monica, also experienced a mom choosing them & changing her mind a year or so before we experienced the same exact thing? So she was able to minister to me during that devastating time!  God is so good! His plans are perfect!

So today...as we celebrate Ethan's SEVENTH birthday, words cannot express the gratitude in my heart for this sweet, compassionate, creative, intelligent young whipper snapper that God uniquely designed for our family! He brings so much joy and laughter to our days!  

And words cannot express the gratitude in my heart for his sweet birth mom who chose to give us Ethan.  She is truly a blessing to us as well!

Ethan, our big first grader, we are so very proud of you!  We love the way you are curious about EVERYTHING! Yes, you may wear this old mom and dad down with your constant questions, but never stop asking! We love your vivid imagination and your ability to remember all sorts of random facts about world geography and animals!  We love how you giggle when you wrestle your brother. You are also very compassionate and friendly and kind to everyone.  We know that God is going to use you in a mighty way as you grow!  We love you! Mom, Dad, and Bro Bro (Evan)