Beautiful, Unexpected Grace in the Gospel and Adoption {guest post}

November is Adoption Awareness Month, and how better to celebrate the good news of adoption and redemption than to invite a guest blogger to this corner of the internet! 

Naomi has some great words to share with us today about the beauty and grace we find- in adoption, and ultimately, in the Gospel itself. Thanks for joining us today, Naomi! 

Every adoption is born out of two things: trauma and loss. For an infant, who leaves the hospital in the arms of their loving parents- there is trauma and loss. For a toddler, who cannot verbalize their past and calls their new parents "Mommy" and "Daddy" right away- there is trauma and loss. For a school aged child who for the first time is living as a child instead of as a fill-in parent- there is trauma and loss. For a teen, who finally has someone to provide their needs- there is trauma and loss.

Often, adoption is either romaticized or criminalized. The truth this, it is both beautiful and hard. Adoption should be a story of trauma, loss, and grief that is met with love, compassion, and healing.

How can I state what every adoption story should be? Because that's the way our Father wrote our adoption story. And His Word is the standard by which we should be operating.

Great Stuff to Give Parents in the NICU

When we announced the birth of our little boy- who arrived eight weeks early- and the fact that we'd be in the NICU for at least several weeks, our people were incredibly supportive. Friends and family immediately asked what they could do, what we needed, what they could bring.

And honestly, we had no idea.

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I mean, my little guy is in a great hospital, and they really provide just about everything. I decided that I'd stay with our baby as much as possible, which was easy to do in our NICU. The rooms had couches that folded into a bed, there were showers and laundry facilities available for families, we got meal vouchers that allowed us to eat in the cafeteria... and of course, everything our baby could possibly need was provided as well.

But even though we had no idea what would be helpful, we did have several friends (and one very sweet former NICU mom who I actually didn't know at all) who gave us things that were amazing and made the journey so much easier.

Dear NICU Mom...

I'm walking down the hall toward the elevators and the cafeteria when I see you.

You're wearing cheery pajama pants and an oversized sweatshirt that doesn't match, inching your way down the hall in your slippers, a shell-shocked expression on your face.

You see me coming and step to the side to let me by, and I see you glace at my name tag and notice the word "parent," -- that one word that identifies me as the mama of a precious tiny one here in the hospital-- and your expression changes a little- a mix of camaraderie, disbelief, sadness, and hope.

I know exactly how you're feeling.

Just weeks ago, I was you.