Ezekiel 34:26
This year I almost didn't notice when spring arrived. It totally snuck up on me because we had the craziest non-winter, with regular intervals of spring temperatures and days that I really could have gone for a run outside if I'd felt like braving the Minnesota wind. We had several single snowstorms last year that dropped more snow that we had ALL winter this year. The ice went out on big Belle Lake on March 18. Insane. Suddenly, in late March, the grass was a beautiful, bright green, I had tulips starting to bloom, and I was eating baked potatoes with chives fresh from my garden. WHERE do I live again?
With gorgeous green all around me, the bare limbs of the trees in our yard were the only thing that could convince me we weren't involved in some kind of weird government conspiracy theory and it's actually mid-June. Not a bud in sight. I found myself wishing, then longing, then getting frustrated... come ON! Everything else is in beautiful bloom! Let's get some leaves on these trees. Waiting, waiting, waiting... it's like waiting for a pot of water to boil. Sometimes you just have to step away and let God work His magic. I managed to forget about the leaves for a few days - and then suddenly, they were everywhere. Beautiful, pale green buds, gorgeous tiny leaves, and some nice, big, bright green ones that I must have missed blossoming. God does amazing work in the spring... it's breathtaking out there.
We've been in the "spring" of our adoption journey for quite a few months now. All the seeds of paperwork have been planted. Preparations are underway for all the "normal," non-adoptive aspects of parenthood. We're just waiting for God's gracious "rainstorm," that incredible, heart-stopping phone call that will burst our little family into bloom. Sometimes I forget that it could happen any day now - the "waiting" is starting to feel normal. Like this spring... I forget that we're in a transition phase... I keep thinking it's going to be 50 and lovely forever. But every now and then, a new bloom bursts open, the trees begin to leaf out, and I stand up and take notice. I remember we're not at the end point. We're not even at the start line yet!
A dear friend in Wisconsin is going through the same infant adoption process that we are, pretty much on the same time schedule. She's been such a blessing to vent to about the specific challenges we face as we are shuffled through the steps of the journey. She shared the most WONDERFUL news with me last week, news that startled my eyes open like a strong gust of spring wind, news that was as welcome as the budding leaves on the trees. They have been chosen as parents for a baby girl, due in a matter of weeks. Praise God from whom all blessings flow! What joy for them, their friends, their family! And what hope this brings to me, as a fellow "waiting" mother. My head knows it will happen someday, it will happen suddenly, and I will experience this joy for myself. But my heart needs a little reminder, a little jump-start every now and then. A little bursting bloom of hope.
I know many of you are working through struggles of your own right now... it's probably safe to assume that ALL of you are, in some way. It can be so hard to go through the daily grind and remember that every day you're making progress, working toward something better, growing into a stronger, smarter, better person... especially if you're waiting for a BIG moment that seems to never arrive. I hope this tiny budding leaf reminds you that God is always working in your life, slowly at times, but in the way that is best for you. The big moment will come. Try to enjoy the little ones, too :)
