Tuesday, September 15, 2015

Happy birthday to me!


35 ...  I'm 35 today.  It's amazing how birthdays change as you get older, and how life gets so busy that it's hard to stop and reflect on the blessings that you've received in those years.  So I'm going to do my best to stop and reflect for a moment.

Up until a few years ago, I had never known someone that shared my birthday with me.   It was a day of celebration, sometimes a few more, and always great with friends and family.  And now with FB reminding everyone of birthdays, I'm so blessed by all the amazing notes I got on my special day.  But this year, September 15 has an even more meaning.  Let me explain...

Last year, we had our "match" meeting with a young couple that was placing their baby for adoption. They were 15 and 16 years old.  We smashed into a conference room with their families and promised to accept their baby and raise her as our own.  I thought it was the best symbolism that this meeting would be on my birthday of all days! It must be meant to be! We went to dinner after and got the call that they liked us and we were matched!

Then as most of you know, and have read, after getting to know them for the next month, a baby girl was born on October 5, sent home with us on October 7, and asked to be returned to her birth parents on October 8.  From the outside looking in, many would think that was the end of the story.

We are proof, that God never leaves us hanging in His plan for our lives.  We named Jeremiah after Jeremiah 29:11 because God knew the plans He had for our lives, and they were plans to prosper and not harm us - give us hope and a future.  Well after returning her, we waited longer than we expected and longer than we wanted ... but God matched us with an amazing young woman who noticed our story because we had a baby girl taken from us, and she could give us our baby girl.  On June 22, she gave birth to that baby girl and on July 22, she signed the papers that placed Eliana Jane with us forever.  I am amazed as I look back and see God's handprints on our entire story as He put together our family.  Oh, and by the way.  Eliana's birth mom turns 19 today, September 15 ...

Happy 35th birthday to me!  I am blessed. :)

~Leah