Building our Family: How Times Have Changed

It's been nearly a year since my last blog. I'm sure most of you are connected to us through Facebook or e-mail, and none of this will likely be new news.

While our overall adoption process certainly took much longer than we expected, the old adage stands: "It was worth the wait." Our darling son Joshua was born January 26, 2009, and he is the light of our lives.

The honest truth, though, is that adoption is a beautiful and heart-wrenching process all in one. The beauty comes in the creation of family ties beyond the biological process. God knits love into our hearts in a way that so clearly echos His loving adoption of us into His family--creating a bond that overrides all the past sorrow and grief and pain of the wait that brought us to that moment. While at the same time, I sometimes ache for Joshua's birthmother whose love for him so overwhelmed her at his birth that she grieved bitterly through the process of relinquishment. There was so much pain for us seeing her go through that, while we also struggled with fear that she would change her mind at the same time we were falling in love with that tiny baby. We so appreciated the support of our adoption caseworker and the hospital socialworker who gently cared for Joshua's birthmother through that process. We hear through our adoption agency that she is healing and growing.

Joshua came home 2 days after his birth, and we became instant parents of a newborn with all the new experiences that go with it--nighttime feedings; bathing a tiny, slippery, fragile being; reordering our lives around his needs; waiting eagerly for those facial expressions of response.

We were overwhelmed, too, by the love and support from so many friends and family who immediately accepted Joshua into our family, and sweetly provided meals, toys, baby gear, hand-me-down clothes, and celebrated with us through all the steps this year:

In March, Joshua was dedicated in our church surrounded by our family and church family

In May, Joshua took his first plane ride when we went to visit Shawn's dad's family in the DC area for 2 family weddings

In July, Joshua's adoption was finalized and we had a wonderful family celebration

In September, I (Sharron) returned to work after a 7-1/2 month maternity leave. I'm now working 20 hours/week (1/2 time), and planning to add a few more hours in January. We have a terrific nanny named Maggie who comes to our home and is wonderful with Joshua.

In October, Joshua took his second plane trip when we traveled to California for my grandfather's memorial service. We traveled with my sister Susanna and her son Trey (3 months older than Joshua), and the babies were a big hit with both my dad's and mom's families: {Joshua meeting his great grandma Ruth; getting a piano lesson from his great aunt Sara and great uncle Gary}