So I had read the verses over and over about God knitting my baby in the womb and creating each child uniquely and perfect.  I have never believed that more than through our adoption. 

I truly believe God created this baby for us, but in her womb and with her DNA.  He is all I would ever ask or imagine a Tyndall baby to be and WAY more.  I truly don’t think that Nathan and I could create something better…if we tried then we would likely mess it up.  For one he is strangely and yet miraculously the perfect mix of us both.  He has dark hair like me and blue eyes like him.  He has a gorgeous skin complexion (half Hispanic and half Caucasian…just like mine). I am sure he will tan well during the summers just like I do being of mixed race. His temperament is chill and relaxed.  He only cries when he needs something.  He is the perfect baby for us and far better than I could ask or imagine.  Amazing how God works like that and prepares for us a family to meet our needs.  Thankful that we followed His leading and said “yes” to the opportunity and the agency.  Thankful that he put a road block in our way that would have given us a child sooner, but it would not have been this child. 

A friend gave me a nursery sign that perfectly sums up my heart. “For this child I prayed and the Lord granted me my request.”  1 Samuel.  That verse I have thought about over and over along with many others.

On the open adoption update: The birthparents and I do stay in contact through Facebook, email and text messages.  They will often ask for a pic or update, but never over-needy or pushy about it…more interested.  Some say that will fade with time, but I hope it doesn’t.  I want them to be involved so that if he ever wants to talk to them it is not weird.  We talk of  adoption openly and read him bedtime adoption books.  We never will make it a secret…it will be his normal until classmates or the world inform him otherwise and then we pray to have the words to explain it better.  I purchased Power of a Praying Parent and I cover him in prayer with these issues and so much more…his story is untraditional, but beautiful.  We are proud to know his birthparent because they have blessed us with this gift and we have grown as Christians.  Our heart is fuller and our eyes are way more WIDE open.

We had our first agency meeting last week in Houston.  We will do five of these in the next six months.  The fifth one will be at our house as they check for safety issues.  We met with other adoptive parents, shared stories, played with babies and leaned on each other.  We tried to meet with the birthparents, but could not work it out in time so we will do it again in February. 

I know one day the blog will just be about our baby and not our adoption, but I hope not.  I hope this is something that we are proud to share always.  I am sure we will forget as our newness becomes normal, but we are very honored to be chosen to parent him.  We are honored to be one small piece in God’s amazing plan.  We hope we will do great things that will bring awareness to open adoption and will make a small community grow larger.

I had been praying for God to put a life verse on my heart to sum up our role in Callen’s life.  We have to choose one for his baby dedication, so I went ahead and prayed for one to keep on my heart.  He chose, “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Ephesians 2:10

I believe that God had prepared us in advance to parent this child.  He did not make me infertile, but he could have changed it all if it would have been for our benefit.  It clearly is not.  Callen is made to do great things and all this had to be done in advance.
The good new is: Adoption was not our plan, but God’s plan…and His plans are perfect! We hit the baby jackpot. The coolest thing is when I brag about him, I am not showing a reflection of myself or our creation. I can beam at his perfection knowing I am not saying “I made that.” He is God’s creation (like we all are, but we often forget when we give humans credit).