Though not young, we were still in our first year of
marriage. Still trying to figure out who folds the laundry, what storage nook
to put the camping supplies during the winter, and a bill paying organization
system. Our biggest responsibilities were our 10-pound dog and our mortgage. We were basically footloose and
fancy-free.
And then one day all that changed. I saw her photo and
nothing would ever be the same.
So we made some plans, got on a plane, and went to China.
And then we blinked, signed some paperwork and just like that, became parents
to a 10-year-old.
We were scared. All three of us were. But we figured our way
through those first hours, then days, then weeks, and finally months.
And here we are now, days before our one-year anniversary. The
months are soon to turn into years. We’re planning a celebration. We all can’t
believe it’s been a year. In some ways it feels like it was yesterday, and in
other ways it feels like much longer. I’m not going to go so far as to say that
I can’t remember life before her, but I am sure of one thing – this is exactly right.
She’s doing great. We’re all not scared anymore. We truly
are a family. My life is stressful, chaotic, and I’m always at least 10 minutes
late, but this is right.
It all feels totally normal. One day I didn’t have a child.
The next I had a 10-year-old. And it all feels as normal as brushing my teeth.
This year I suggest you say yes to something that seemingly isn’t
right. Something that feels strange. Something that you didn’t plan. Because
the best stuff is His stuff, and we can always count on that to be right.
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Nikki has been working as an adoption social worker for the past 10 years. The consummate single gal was married in 2012 and started an adoption process to adopt a 10-year-old with special needs from China soon after. Nikki loves writing home studies in the Western Missouri area and preparing families for the realities of adoption.
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