To say God has been in the details for our most recent adoption–well, although true–that is quite the understatement.
Every corner turned…every milestone reached…every prayer asked–He has been there…
…in the most perfect timing.
We saw Ezekiel’s (Zeke’s) picture just when we were ready to “try” to grow again. It had been four weeks since our miscarriage. Safe to “try again” the doctor said.
Yet my heart–just knew…He wanted us to grow differently this time. We talked about maybe adopting again…picking up the China adoption we had put on hold almost now 2 years ago.
Who would have thought THAT NIGHT–we would find our next child?
We looked online at waiting children lists…just because–MAYBE..and we saw him. Together.
And we knew.
He was our son.
The God of Details…
The SAME week–the children had been learning a poem together.
A poem that I hold dear.
What are the chances?
As a child–my mom had this old embroidered sampler…and every night as I went to bed–I would look on the wall beside me as I tried to fall asleep…and read it over and over as I drifted off to sleep.
It was something I’d say…was written on my heart.
The Holly Hobby little figures under the poem–one flying a kite…I would stare at before I ever knew how to read the poem.
Even this—
It was His telling to me…His whispering to me
THIS…even THIS detail…is part of your story.
Part of the most beautiful story I am writing for YOU.
That VERY week (when it was safe “to try”…as we were melting over a 17 month old’s picture half a world away) I ran across this poem again.
How many years it had been–and the sweet memories it holds.
And my heart LEPT when I saw it.
As I looked at the “suggested poetry teaching” in the curriculum for the children–SOME HOW this poem…would line up for me to teach…this very week to consider growing again.
I smiled as I saw the poem…remembering how dear it was to me as a child and how my sisters and I would laugh at who was born on which day–and how they’d laugh and roll their eyes that *I* was a Sabbath child. Fair? Hmmm…as a child–to her sisters–I think not always;).
This poem first appeared in 1838 in a book about the Traditions of Devonshire, by A. E. Bray. The author is unknown.
Monday’s child is fair of face,
Tuesday’s child is full of grace,
Wednesday’s child is full of woe,
Thursday’s child has far to go,
Friday’s child is loving and giving,
Saturday’s child works hard for his living,
And the child that is born on the Sabbath day
Is bonny and blithe, and good, and gay.
The version we learned–was just a wee bit different–but as I read the first words…it took me back.
And what JOY I had teaching this to the children that week in September–this poem from my childhood.
One I already knew by heart.
Parker – Monday’s child…yes, indeed born on a Monday – wanted to know what fair of face was. Handsome Parker. It means you’re handsome.
No Tuesday child? Oh–well, let’s just move along and see what the others are.
One by one we looked up what days each child was born on.
The children giggled that Richard’s birthday came on a Wednesday! FULL OF WOE??? Oh you must know Richard. He makes us laugh with his glass half empty…and his candy bar half gone. They were tickled and for days went around telling him “Oh daddy! You are full of WOE!” every time he told them to clean their rooms, take a bath or go to bed.
Laney…was born on Thursday. And well…she wasn’t so sure about Thursday–having far to go? But what 7 year old doesn’t have far to go…right??? That’s what I told her anyway.
How perfectly fitting was Friday. We all AGREED…HANDS DOWN…our Isaac…the one who gives away a toy quickly for another’s happiness was loving and giving. The one who now tells me EVERY morning, “I LOVE YOU MOMMY!”–yes…hands down this description fit him and made us all giggle with delight.
And Frank. A Saturday. What does work for a living mean momma?” Oh Frank–you can do it! It just means you won’t be handed any thing on a silver spoon. You will work for it with honor and make us proud. (That seemed to satisfy him!)
They all smiled at me as if I was Mary Poppins when I read them the Sabbath verse. Yes. Mother dearest was born on the Sabbath day. (As if I didn’t already know what was coming in that description as I had grown up saying it!) However–my mom’s sampler said “Fair and wise and full of play…and of course–we changed it to that…just for old time’s sake. And fair and wise and full of play just sounds more fun, doesn’t it?
I smiled thinking of my sisters…almost hearing them as children, “Uh. Not fair that she’s born on the Sabbath!” Makes me smile now thinking of the three of us–all tucked in the room we shared together. Or thinking about the hands of my grandmother making that embroidered sampler. All of this–written before time. All seemingly so simple–yet even this…He was weaving…
Our family. At the time, six in our family. The children said how CRAZY it was that we have 6 out of the 7 days covered with not ONE of us having the same day.
Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
We just missed a Tuesday baby.
And that same day–after teaching the children that poem–Richard and I saw his picture.
We showed the children the next day–and asked them to pray with us.
Laney–would you be okay being the only girl?
Why of course! Doesn’t that mean you get your daddy all to yourself on daddy and daughter date nights? Yes–I am okay with it!
And not thinking about that poem–the children, however, were…
Parker and Laney whispered.
And then Parker said, “Momma, do you think he could be our Tuesday baby?
Knowing that God doesn’t ALWAYS work out the details QUITE like that…I smiled and said maybe. But I certainly didn’t want to look it up with their looking over my shoulder. What if?? Or what if it wasn’t? Either way–He was OURS…but the what if…lingered.
“I’ll look later my loves…now–listen to the Full of Woe man…and go clean your rooms…”
And I just had to look.
May 10, 2011.
Could that really have fallen on a Tuesday?
How silly of me to even look.
I went to my email and typed in that date just see INSTEAD what emails I sent the day he was born. Just curious.
We were with another agency at the time (with our adoption that was put on hold back when I wasn’t feeling well)–and on May 10, 2011 I ACTUALLY sent an email to the agency he was with…randomly…asking them to please put me on their waiting child email list!
Over a year before we found his picture–for some reason–on the DAY he was born I emailed them!
I showed Rich–and we were jaw dropped.
Amazing.
And then…I googled.
Just for fun.
What day was May 10, 2011 on? (Because I just google questions all the time–you know…the answer usually comes right up!)
And…
Tuesday.
We had accepted his referral that morning–and I knew this sweet detail wasn’t for us–but rather a gift of confirmation…a gift of details…for our children from the Lord.
He is our Tuesday baby.
Tuesday’s child is full of grace…
Full of grace.
Full of His sweet grace!
7 of us…ALL born on different days of the week—truly…what are the chances? And what are the chances it’d all line up just like that during the week we were studying my much loved childhood poem? Our Maker showing us THIS…THIS…He has planned before time. Yes–stories that may have broken pieces weaved throughout–but with his beauty taking over our sampler to show the world His greatness…and His hand even in the details.
What fun it was to tell the children that YES–he was our Tuesday baby! They squealed with excitement! He completes us!
And my glory baby…this Saturday.
It was her due date.
March 30, 2013.
A day we may have been in the delivery room–welcoming a love into our world. We saw this babe twice on ultrasound–no doubt full of life. A strong beating heart. And had things not changed–this Saturday would be the day.
Also–a day I have thought about since that September day when I first posted about our loss.
A day I have thought about every time I pass an expecting mommy. Or when a mom says she is due in March or April–I couldn’t help but think…THAT is what I would’ve looked like.
As I realized what weekend it fell on, I smiled.
How sweet that the due date was on Easter weekend. And now–on the Sunday we celebrate His resurrection…I will sing.
I remember the Sunday in church–after our loss–why I went that weekend is beyond me…the first song they sang–was Blessed Be Your Name. And I sat down. I have to confess. I couldn’t sing. I didn’t feel like it. I was upset. I was angry. I was sad. I WANTED to sing. But the words wouldn’t come out. Literally, I tried–but nothing came out. And I just sat there. I knew one day I would sing those words. I believed them. I wanted to worship right there and sing. But in that moment–I just needed to grieve. And grieve well.
Here we sit–6 months later…waiting on travel approval to go get our Tuesday baby.
And in just a few days–it’s March 30th.
WAITING DESPERATELY for our I800 to come in the mail–so we can get our article 5–and then travel approval. Being the impatient adoption mom I am–I called USCIS today.
I called them on Monday TOO. But on Monday the kind;) lady on the phone said, “Honey, you ain’t even been assigned an officer yet. Call back later.” (Do these people know the hearts they are talking to? Oh my! If they only knew how we are longing for our babies!) I held off–awhile…awhile? Okay–3 more days. Like today:). Cause that’s how adoption mommas roll:)
And today–the kind lady said, “Looks like you were approved on Tuesday, the 26th. You should get your final approval letter in the mail by–Saturday.”
Of course.
You should get your letter on March 30, 2013.
Of course!
Because He is in the details.
And He is always on time–not a moment out of sync in His perfect plan.
On a day I marked on my calendar with hearts last July–is the day we will get our FINAL U.S. APPROVAL for our son. When I doodled those hearts–who knew?
HE DID.
I know He loves me.
Can’t you just see Him looking down–and wiping away a tear as He smiled at my doodling hearts for that day?
That doodled red pen…He knew what it would really mean.
My glory baby…my Tuesday baby…all part of His story.
He knew hard would come with both…weaved in both stories.
He knew loss would be part of both.
He knew in the months ahead He would hear me cry with sounds I didn’t know were possible out of my voice box as I had never experienced this loss…something only a mom and one who has walked this will understand even what this part means…because if you have been there–as you read this…you know…and you remember–and you will never forget.
In those moments…
He would be there.
And across the world with our child.
He would be there…as He always had been.
He has been watching him…caring for him. Every day while he was in his mother’s womb and on May 10th–the day he was born…the day I sent that email…He knew. He was there. And still is.
And while He knew there would be loss that led us to one another–He also knew how beautiful the story was He was writing.
For us both.
On that beautiful Tuesday–pain would happen…hurt would happen…but so would GRACE.
Oh yes–Tuesday’s child–is full of grace.
Sweet grace.
Amazing grace.
And today–I sit here…realizing that He just might answer our prayer for MAY travel. To be with him on his 2nd year birthday month. A prayer that began the minute we saw His face…but a prayer that He just might have answered long before I was doodling hearts for March 30th…for THIS Saturday.
So while you are at the park this Saturday–picking up eggs…you will find me sitting at my mailbox…waiting for the best gift an adoption mommy could ask for. The final document that clears you for travel. And then I’ll be overnighting everything to our agency so it arrives on Monday or Tuesday.
Then–we just wait for travel approval. Praying big and hoping big for May.
Truly–He is in the details.
In mine.
In yours.
We only have to open our eyes and SEE.
He is always there.
The Alpha and Omega. Writing our samplers from beginning to end.
The SAME God who knew the day our Savior was born the price that would be paid in the end…the same God that was raised on the 3rd day…is the same God who wants to perform miracles in your story…day after day after day. Give us eyes to see! Hears to hear and a heart to understand!
Celebrating the King this weekend…and His care over us!
Your sister in Christ,
Andrea
I was fifteen (a month before my sixteenth birthday) when I was diagnosed with cancer. I cannot imagine receiving that diagnosis in Africa. I know my care would have been different. I don’t know if I would have survived.
Please keep me updated on Shadrack–we’ll be praying for him everyday and will help some on his medical costs.