Take time

Today, I encourage you to take time… to remember… to tell your story… relive memories… pull out old photos, letters, artwork, videos, and just sit, and think of how grateful you are for those moments.

My heart today would like to share with you, more of the miracles, moments, and memories of becoming Lucy’s Mommy!

I look back on the 30 years of life I had before her arrival, and I am in awe of the amazing preparation/work God had been doing in and around me! Some examples being:

Knowing and growing up the medical life and community, advocating, knowing the truth about “never happens.”

Also, I had the honor of helping with all four of my grandparents- During this time I became extremely familiar with palliative care, case managers, and hospice. All four had different hospice experiences, all positive, all went ahead with the upmost dignity. Hospice seemed to be a second family during those years. And with KidsPath near, the kindness of the staff with my last grandparent who at the time had 6 great-grandchildren that he absolutely adored, was a treasure I will never forget!

Something that you may not know and I feel as if I am risking the chance of being misunderstood is this, girls scare me! There I said it. Now, remember I had all boy cousins, I was the youngest of all the cousins. So when I began down the path of child care, who would have known, the fire would be sparked inside my heart by a little girl, little sparkler herself! She named me, “Na-Na!” Now, don’t get me wrong, I have always loved children, but this little one made me want to pursue child care! And so I did. And the funny thing is, outside of church Bible studies and such, I mostly kept boys, with the exception of a few little girls who were firecrackers! (and they know who they are)

When it came to God leading me to adoption though, all the details seemed so minor compared to one really specific detail I kept being nudged about, “adopt a girl.” I had just walked with my cousin and his family through domestic adoption, and had done enough research to know that there were SO many babies in need, but I followed His lead. The further along, the more he opened my eyes… and really I am so happy He did!!

I can’t fully put into words the tremendous amount of digging that had to be done to find an agency or attorney in NC to even want to take information from me. I found one agency in NC that would take my application and meet with me. I found one attorney in NC that would meet with me, but I would have to make the contact with a Mommy looking for an adoption plan. And after 3 years of NC, I saw that an acquaintance had posted they had just adopted from SC. I contacted them, contacted the attorney’s office, and off to meet them! It was official I would work with them for a placement. And She CAME! My point in this, is it is not NC vs SC, although the laws in SC are pretty incredible. It really is Who you Follow, and Who you trust! The switch was painful, had dark days, lots of crazy paperwork, we thought my mom and I had lost our fingerprints (for real!), but there were way more GOOD days.

Those good days… were filled with “we HAVE to get it” outfits, shoes, etc. “Anna’s repacking the hospital bag!” Rearranging her room, closet, drawers, toys. Lucy was set, she had my brother’s little girl, plus my cousins four little girls who were passing down clothes and shoes. Such a blessing beyond comprehension! I slept with a little muslin gown I had purchased for her at the beginning, I would hold it and pray for her and her mommy who was carrying her. But by the time she arrived it was so worn, if I had put it on her, it would have fell apart!

She was set! When I got the call, I got to packing! Since she was born in SC, I would need to be there until the IPAC (clearance to cross back over state lines) was clear. God has a sense of humor! My dad was for sure I was taking too much, so I eliminated some things, and off we went. My parents went with me, thank you JESUS! However, the moment Lucy and I stepped out of the hospital it began to snow! I love snow, cold weather, etc. But good golly, this document had to make it too and from and all around. Oh well, OH NO, those things that I eliminated would be really helpful! Hahaha! Good memories, good laughs, and really good food! (thanks to my parents for the food runs and for the discernment to go get her a fun winter jacket!)

We made the most of being in a hotel… newborn pictures- bedspread was white and crinkly, perfect for fashion shows too! Tons of pictures, videos, and FaceTime. Treasures.

At home, Lucy started to really settle into her routine. If you messed with her nighttime routine, then you would hear what she thought. You could tell she knew her peoples’ voices and noises 🙂 which sometimes takes a bit because its all new. It was extremely fun to watch her with her cousins and them with her. My nephew wasn’t sure about her at first. He had had my attention and now Lucy took some of that, but as she grew and he could help, he really loved her, he was her “Applesauce King.” And my niece, who had been really involved and intrigued in the waiting was all helping hands! Oh and how she LOVED the birds, squirrels, deer, and fox outside. She would sit and watch in wonder. Her yawns would have made my PawPaw proud, big and with the loudest noise that little body could make! And those sneezes, cute and constant, and we know why so many now. Very opinionated about her outfits- if it didn’t seem to feel good to her, you would get a nasty look and a mean scream! Music- Hymns, Sting & Shaggy, Scripture Lullabies, about any kind of music she loved. She loved the sound of, what I call, an old truck, one of the sounds on her sound machine. If she was mad, sad, happy, whatever, she loved for us to dance! When her tummy would rumble, I would strap her on and we would dance and sing and cry together 🙂 She was trying to sit up, kind of in that “I’m sitting, oh no TIMBER!” stage. She had held her head up by herself since birth, really strong neck- was even in her doctors notes. She loved bananas, apples, sweet potatoes, not so much oatmeal or cereal. She loved her pacis and usually had 2-4 with her at all times. Like mommy, like daughter 🙂 if you knew me when I was little, ALWAYS had a paci 🙂 Soon I would find out that all these things, well, He knows and defines miracles…

I miss her. My arms, my legs, my hands, my whole body grieves and misses her. I love her. My love for her grows every single day. She is mine and I am hers and we are HIS. I am so very grateful that she was born, and her life giving mommy chose me. And that my parents were both able to be with me in SC and at home. And that so many memories and moments were captured.

Take time… Don’t miss it… Capture it… For it only lasts for a moment…