Mother's Day

A year ago  I was standing in front of our church congregation giving a testimony to the work that God was doing in our family.  Nothing says, "Happy Mother's Day," like telling your church family that you are struggling to walk in faith while you wait for your adoption to be finalized so your children can come home.  That was a hard day despite the many hugs and encouraging words that came from friends after I shared raw feelings.

Today a new and different sort of tears fell as I stood in worship.  Tears of healing,and of joy, and of thanks.  God WAS being faithful as we were waiting.  He WAS providing for us even though ti was hard for us to see His ways.  He DID bring our children home in His timing.  And today I got to look back, remember, and rejoice in all that he HAd done, and all that he is yet to do.  Today as I sang of his greatness, a little girl, MY little girl, sang along.  She didn't know all the words, and she couldn't necessarily read fast enough to make them out from the screen, but her heart desired to magnify the same God that mine did.  The pain of last year on Mother's Day was still real in my heart because we will always grieve the years that we lost with these two loves, but there was healing and joy to replace the hurt that I felt so deeply last year.

This was definitely the best Mother's Day I have had so far.  I loved how Joanna ran out of Sunday school pleased to deliver to me the "surprise" candle that she had made for me as if I had no clue it was coming (I spent all day Saturday melting the candle for the kids)  I loved how Naomi has spent the last three weeks preparing my gift and keeping it hidden in her room!  I was spoiled with chocolate covered strawberries from Ryan, sweet notes from all of my kids, and even a long walk with my puppies. One of my children loved me enough to convert the Declaration of Independence into a Declaration of Mom.  It was pretty impressive.   But I think the best thing about today is that God used a tough Sunday last year as a marker in my life to show me that His love for me is steadfast.  He provides for me everyday through my husband and my children, and today was no exception.  What a mighty God!