Showered with Blessings

On January 26, 3 special friends hosted an Adoption Baby Shower for us.  It's hard to put into words just how special of a time this was.

I had requested that people not bring gifts.  There wasn't really anything we truly NEEDED for the boys and I felt like we have asked so much of so many people already with all of our fundraising.  I just wanted this to be a time to gather, visit and pray for our little guys.

Because we had just received word about our matching grant from Lifesong, my friends informed the guest list so that they could donate to Lifesong in lieu of gifts.  We were blown away by the generosity of our friends, as you can see by the fundraising thermometer on the side of this blog!

I brought my 4 girls with me to share in this special time.  I don't think that they had ever attended a baby shower before.  I had to tell the little ones several times that I was NOT going to my friend's house to get bathed.  :)

We were greeted at the door by a wreath surrounded by burlap that had a cookie cutter of Africa hanging in the center (I was so happy I got to keep the cookie cutter!).  Inside was a beautiful, Old World book box where the guests wrote sweet letters to us, prayers for our boys and Scripture verses for us to have as a keepsake.  Precious.

There were framed photos of our boys all over the downstairs along with displays of globes with hearts over our African country.  Cookies were Africa shaped with red M&M's on our country, and they even had the country flag on the table.  Scripture verses about the fatherless and orphans were displayed.  I noticed every little detail and it made the day even more special.  (I hate that I didn't get a photo of myself with the hostesses to share.  They are precious friends who truly care about the fatherless.)

Friends from school and church gathered together to hear facts about the needs of our country and the huge number of orphans who live there and are in need of forever families.  My friends gathered around me, laying hands on me and we spent a long time praying.  Well....they prayed and I just cried.  It was such an amazing time for me to hear these wonderful, godly, Christian women whom I look up to and love, praying such heart-felt prayers for 2 little boys living across the ocean right now who none of us have ever met.  They prayed for our adjustment, our family, our finances, our boys in Africa.....their hearts, their needs, their future, their salvation and their impact on the world for Christ.

It was like no shower I had ever been to.  I walked away being full, feeling blessed beyond measure for friends like that.  Both my moms were there and hearing their precious prayers for their grandsons was something I will not forget.  I know that not all parents welcome the idea of their children adopting.  I also know that becoming a mixed race family is not always smiled upon either, but that is not the case with our parents.  They have responded with nothing but support, love and anticipation to welcome 2 new little guys into our family.  We are so thankful!

The day was perfect.  It was a high for me.  A day in which I felt God whispering to my heart to assure me in all my insecurities that the body of Christ cares for our family and is praying for our boys.  It was a day in which God reinforced His love for me as His adopted child.  It was another way in which God confirmed in my heart that this adoption is all part of His plan for us.

And although there are adorable, twin boys in the heart of Africa right now who have no idea what changes await them this year, this shower was part of their Life Story Book.