Congratulations Matt and Karen

Congratulations Matt and Karen on the birth of your son!

A true Christmas miracle. I'm am so happy for you guys.

As I have been reminded once again these past few weeks, there are times when we just cannot understand God's ways. The Rita Spring song, "Worth It All" has been bouncing around in my head for days:

"I don't understand Your ways
Oh but I will give You my song
Give You all of my praise
You hold on to all my pain
With it You are pulling me closer
And pulling me into Your ways

Now around every corner
And up every mountain
I'm not looking for crowns
Or the water from fountains
I'm desperate in seeking, frantic believing
That the sight of Your face
Is all that I need
I will say to You

It's gonna be worth it
It's gonna be worth it
It's gonna be worth it all
I believe this
It's gonna be worth it
It's gonna be worth it
It's gonna be worth it all
I believe this"

Matt and Karen's adoption journey was far from a fairy tale. It was wracked with disappointment, pain and sorrow. Before I met them, they had adopted a daughter, Emilie. After 4 months of having her in their home they lost her due to tribal law (Native American adoption). They came to me hearts broken, and longing to have a family. We moved forward with utmost care and did everything possible to see them matched with the safest situation possible.

They were matched very quickly with a great situation and then found out that their birth mom had a miscarriage. They were matched again and it seemed to be going so well, until Thanksgiving when they found out that they birthmother had given birth and changed her mind. Another devastating blow.

I always tell couples that we work to find the safest, least risky situations we can but at the end of the day we are still dealing with a human heart. And human hearts are often unpredictable.

It goes without saying that Matt and Karen were heart broken. I was reeling as well, and to be honest not understanding what God was up to at all. I still firmly believe and cling to Psalm 139 knowing that "all our days were written in His book before one of them came to be," and I know that God knows exactly which child will join each of my families and the exact day that they will enter their lives. That doesn't lessen the sting or the pain of watching one of my couples walk through heart ache.

So imagine our delight when we got the call that they had been matched with a beautiful baby boy who had already been born and that all of the legal consents had been signed! Isn't God amazing. December 21st Matt and Karen, got in the car to make the drive to meet their son, and on December 25th celebrated their first Christmas together as a family of three!

I'm so proud of Matt and Karen for the way they walked this journey with their hearts before the Lord, trusting Him and leaning on Him, even when they couldn't understand His Ways.