Ordinary?? No. Miracle?? Absolutely!!

February 13, 2003. Six years ago we received the once-in-a-lifetime news that a woman had chosen us to be the parents for her unborn twins. Our case worker had let us know the week before that there was a woman expecting twins, who felt it was the right thing to place them for adoption. He wanted to know if we wanted her to see our profile--after all, she was having TWINS!!! OF COURSE we wanted her to see it!! Darin knew from that moment that it was a done deal. I was too cautious to let myself even dare to think it possible. February 13th we went to a monthly adoption meeting. Our case worker asked us to be sure to stay late because he needed to talk to us. We knew then that it was happening. When he told us, we were almost speechless, and were in a heavenly daze the entire car ride home.

The next day was Valentine's Day. We went to Babies R Us and looked around. We didn't come out with so much as a rattle. I think I was in shock. How many dozens and dozens of brands of pacifiers could there really be?? We called our family and friends to share our news. It was so fun to tell them that a birth mother had chosen us. We would say, "We know she's having a boy!!!" Everyone would scream and cheer. Then we'd add, "And......we know she's having a girl!!!" Then everyone would really scream and cry and carry on. What a fun Valentine's Day that was!!

Logan and Ellie were born six weeks later. If Valentine's Day is all about love--there will be no greater valentine given in this lifetime than the news we received that year. There are not words for how we feel about the kids birth mom. We talk all the time about adoption, using words like birth mother, chosen, placement, finalized, and open adoption, as if it is all the most ordinary thing in the world. It is normal to us--it is our reality--it is our miracle. "The sky knows when to snow. A seed knows when to grow....the sun comes up and shines so bright, then disappears again at night--it's just another ordinary miracle today!!!" It is the natural order of things as God intended. And there is nothing ordinary about it. I'd say extraordinary!!!

As I was at the baby shower for my niece this morning, I couldn't help but think of the miracle of life and how the miracle of a new baby can heal so much. A little bundle of a message from up above letting us each know that He sees us. I have experienced it in monumental ways with my own children, of course. But also in small ways with my own nieces and nephews. I think they come with many messages for and from loved ones. And I think the little one we celebrated today, my soon-to-be-born niece Nora, will come with her own message for her own aunts and uncles. And I think when they each hold her they will know, He sees them too!!!