She's Ours

"Is she yours?"

I got asked this question recently. My answer was simple: "Yes!"  I didn't feel the need to explain. Because Joy belongs to me. To us. She came to our family in a very special way, but she belongs here. She's ours!

I was reading in Romans about God adopting us into His family, and remembering this time a year ago when we were waiting for our girl to come to us. At this point, we knew about a little girl, but she wasn't "ours" yet. She belonged to someone else. A very special person that we have grown to love. Joy's birth mom. Her first mom on this earth. And now Joy belongs to us because her first mom chose us.

I remember that first morning waking in the hospital with Joy by my side in her little rolling nursery bed. The door opened early - I think it was about six - and at first I thought it was one of the hospital staff bringing something by. (Remember, I was asleep and I didn't have my glasses on.) It was Joy's birth mom. We were surprised by her visit, we didn't know if she would come by at all, but we were so very glad she did! I asked if she would like to hold Joy, and she did for a moment. I'll never forget what she did next though, after holding her for that brief time, she handed Joy back to me and said, "Go to your mama."

You see, Joy is ours. Not just because a judge said so. Not just because social workers or attorneys said we will be a good family for Joy. But because a very special lady put her own desires aside and made a choice out of a very hard core love. She chose us for her baby. She made the best and hardest decision she knew how to make. Out of strength. Out of love.

Yes, she's ours! Without reservation. without explanation. without qualifications. She belongs to us.

And we are so thankful!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
November is National Adoption Month. I wanted to share just a bit of our story.