What a Difference a Year Can Make…

Last year at this time my life looked very different!  Maybe not so much from the outside (we still live in the same house and it’s still the three of us), but inwardly so much has changed for our family. 

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A year ago, we had begun the journey to adopt and had started meeting with our social worker.  We knew it would be a long road and there were many nights I cried to Chris about how badly I wanted another child to love.  He would gently ask me if I wanted to carry the baby or just love the baby and the answer was always just to love it. I really never thought I’d get pregnant again because we were so committed to and excited about adoption. 

 

 

This year we are eagerly awaiting the arrival of our little GIRL.  Now I cry all the time out of happiness because I can’t believe how overwhelmingly blessed we are to be given a son and a daughter.  None of the other couples we met in our adoption classes have been able to adopt yet…so most likely, we would still be waiting, too.  God is so good.

 

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A year ago, we were just beginning to scratch the surface of Luke’s developmental delays.  Everything was becoming more and more apparent and the pieces were fitting together like a big scary puzzle that I didn't want to see finished.  Again, there were nights filled with crying and terrifying Google searches.  I had SO much fear for his future and his brain progress and his speech and his eating habits.  His future felt very dark and scary to me.  I felt so overwhelmed.

 

 

 

In the last year, we’ve met with multiple doctors and specialists and Luke began Birth to Three in February. Now, a year later, he is enrolled in a fabulous preschool right down the street with two amazingly qualified teachers and sees an OT and a speech therapist at school as well. Every single person who knows Luke has commented on how much he is improving – I feel like my little boy is just blossoming before me in every way! He still struggles with eating but I just take my little victories as they come! Maybe someday I’ll do a more detailed post about his progress but for now I see his future as bright and happy. He may not ever be the smartest kid in his classes, but he is a joy to be around and that is more important to me! God is so good.

 

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Last year, my husband had a different position at the same company – but he didn’t really love it.  He had an extremely difficult co-worker that he spent the majority of each day with, one-on-one.  Without going into too much detail, this man shared many, many things about his personal life and habits that Chris would rather not have ever heard – not to mention all day, every day.   Chris worked super hard and excelled at his job but wanted something more challenging for his brain, not to mention a different work environment. 

 

 

 

A year later,  he has been promoted (in July) to a position much more suited to his personality and talents.  He has his own office, a wonderful new boss, and several people working under him.  It’s a stressful job, many times, with longer hours, but he is so much happier.  Plus we get to see him at work!  We were never able to do that before!  God is so good.

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The one constant throughout the past twelve months has been the precious love of my faithful Savior.   I have ever so much to be thankful for! 

This verse was printed on our wedding programs but it’s just as meaningful to me today as it was over six year ago:

“Now to Him Who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” {Ephesians 3:20-21}

Have a wonderful, blessed Thanksgiving, friends!