Foster Family Journey: My little man is 6!!!

"Children are a heritage from the Lord, they are a reward from Him." Psalm 127:3

Yesterday we celebrated 6 years with our little man Clay!!! Six years! Wow! I couldn't help but spend some time reflecting on his life... our blessing and reward.

It was April 2004. I finally told Mike that I thought I was pregnant. He reacted just as I had when the thought had first come to me the week before... "whatever, that's not possible!" For reasons I won't explain here, it really should have been impossible... we weren't sure we could have children. "Don't waste the money on a test hun, it's impossible!" Too late! I had already bought a test. When I came out of the bathroom Mike was waiting anxiously on the bed. I don't recall saying anything but my tears were a good indicator of the results. I'd love to say they were tears of joy but those first tears were actually of fear. I was terrified! I had recently struggled through a season of anxiety and wasn't sure I was ready physically to carry a child. Children were not allowed in our studio apartment building (which was hardly big enough for 1 person, let alone three.) Mike was a full time seminary student and I was the breadwinner at the time. What was God thinking????

Praise God!!! Praise God that HE was the one thinking and not me! His ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts! (Isaiah 55:8) During that special 7 month season (yes, I was 2 months pregnant when I finally stopped denying it) God took such amazing care of us. He proved Himself faithful to us again and again!!! I am so thankful for those months of being completely desperate for God. The president of the seminary and his wife invited us to live in their basement apartment! Wow! What an amazingly sweet time of fellowship and growth for us as a couple and our walks with the Lord. And it was rent FREE!!! God took care of every little detail - in His time!

Meanwhile, I was falling in love! The little miracle growing inside of me was getting bigger and stronger everyday... and I was smitten. What a sweet season of preparing for him, praying for him, singing to him, and dreaming about him.

Forty weeks came and went. And oh, I was a BIG mama! (This picture was near the end but doesn't adequately show the ole belly!) Finally, contractions became regular on Thanksgiving morning. And then.......... oh, right, and then I was still in labor for 43 hours!!!! I will spare everyone the details of that horrific experience! Good grief! And then, after a really pleasant THREE hour push (note sarcasm), we met our beautiful baby BOY!!! We called on God so many times during the labor, delivery and recovery... and He was always there to meet us faithfully.

The moral of the story?

"Children are a heritage from the Lord, children are a reward from Him." Psalm 127:3

We have been so blessed to know and love and train up our son, Clay! Thank you LORD!