A year ago today, I met our sweet 7th child for the first time. The weeks and months leading up to that meeting were filled with continuous pleas and prayers for a court date before the Ethiopian courts closed for the rainy season. Our court date was issued and miraculously scheduled for August 8th, just 2 days before the closures. We were overjoyed!
I believed God for this miracle from the day of Eli's referral and had faithful prayer warriors who petitioned along side of me for whom I will be forever grateful.
On this day last year, August the 4th, I scooped our precious new son into my arms with overwhelming gratitude for God's gracious gift. It was one of the happiest days of my life. I knew from the minute we saw his sweet little face that he would be pure joy!
That is exactly what he has been. We could not be more blessed to have Eli in our family.
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| Eli and mommy August 2012 |
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| One Year Later |
Eli has a special love for his daddy. He lights up whenever Nick is in the room and can't get enough of him. I think this too is a miracle. Nick was VERY sure that we were DONE adding to our family, but now that Eli is here, that tune has changed. God did a mighty work in his heart to start the adoption process again and I believe God has rewarded that act of obedience with this amazing bond he shares with Eli. Just the other day, Nick said to me as Eli was squealing and running around the house, "I love having him running around here." It's really cool to watch and I know it is totally from God. Now when we're asked if we are going to ever adopt again, he may say NO as a knee jerk, but he has admitted that if it's God's plan, we will follow. I love that!
And this baby couldn't be any more loved by his siblings. He is treasured by the whole family. I keep thinking that he'll either end up super spoiled, or he'll be super loving because of all the love he's given (almost smothering love I should add :-)
In just a few days, Eli will have been home with our family for a little more than 9 months. That will mean he will have been in our family longer than he was not.
I'm looking forward to that day.
Like arrows in the hands of a warrior
are children born in one’s youth.
5
Blessed is the man
whose quiver is full of them....
Psalm 127:4-5
Jessica, Your family is such an inspiration! I wonder do I dare pray that God may open our hearts to the least of these? Thank you for your video and blog- amazing and left me speechless :) Would love to get our families together- we are on your side of town now!
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