Friday, January 24, 2014

Gotcha Day!

Four years ago today, this happened:
I used to write a lot about adoption, but I sort of eased up; in part,mout of respect for Charlie's privacy, and in part, because the more I lived it, the more I saw how complex of a reality it is that people often want to package neatly in a pretty box.
Charlie Iranzi Thomas is a spectacular kid. His smile is one of the natural wonders of the world. His ability to hear music in his head and recreate it or move to it astounds me. (Move over mrs beiber, I'm coming for you ((Totally kidding)) ). He is a total pain in the butt only when he wants to be. He is a gem at school. He makes his baby sister giggle in the cutest way possible. He insists on changing his clothes a minimum of three times a day and wearing shorts over pants. And I will be actively working to change the law so a foreign-born American can be the president.
I don't know what you've heard about parenting an adopted child, and maybe my experience is unique, but I find it both miraculous and challenging to watch this boy grow up who I love so completely but who is so NOT me. My other kids, for better or worse, are made up of ingredients that Ben and I are already familiar with, because they are in us too. I can instantly identify Simon's insecurities because they're mine too.
Adoptive love reminds a lot of marital love. It's a daily, moment by moment choice to love (not put up with) someone who is entirely not me. To see the beauty, to see God's personalized image (not my image) on another person, and celebrate it so they see it too. To love the people and the culture and the history that made them them. To let the gospel into deeper darker parts of my own heart. The only place this kind of love comes from is heaven, but heaven brought it here.
See? Miraculous!


3 comments:

  1. So well said! God has blessed you richly! Enjoy the blessings even through the challenges. Always remember, when think you get to the end of the rope, that's where you will find Jesus!

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  2. beautiful...happy Gotcha Day to the whole family....God bless all of you ALWAYS!!!

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