We gotcha, babay!

Okay, so I'm cheating today.

 

Part of what you'll read here first appeared on my Facebook page on Wednesday evening; so, to all my Facebook friends who will receive this notification, sorry, nothing new to see here. Move along quietly and play nice, please.

 

On Wednesday, we celebrated Gotcha Day, the day that we brought our son, Joel, home from Guatemala. Our Gotcha Day is Jan. 18. Joel came into our lives on that date in 2005. He was five months old at the time. Cute little dude.

 

(Side note: I realize that there are those folks in the adoption community who disapprove of the term "Gotcha Day." If my use of it has offended you in any way, I apologize, but that's the term we like to use in our house.)

 

When Joel was brought to us in Guatemala City by the folks from our adoption agency, European Adoption Consultants, he was decked out in a little blue outfit with a smart-looking little blue and white hat. He was quite the dapper gentleman.

 

And he had this look on his face that said, "It's about time you guys got here."

 

As I held Joel for that first time and gazed into his chocolate brown eyes, I thought, no, I knew I caught a glimpse of the Divine. Seven years later, I still look for and catch that precious glimpse of the Divine. Cue the chill bumps.

 

At first, I was sort of freaked out by the whole affair. At the time, I was just shy of my 38th birthday and pretty comfy with my life. Smokin' hot, loving wife; good job; nice little house in a quiet, picture-postcard town along the Ohio River; a couple of dumb dogs that wouldn't hurt a fly; good  family and good friends ... it was all good, bro!

 

Or so I thought.

 

Fast forward to the present day and here's what I know now that I didn't know then: I didn't know squat about life. God has taught me so much by bringing Joel into my life. God has taught me to be more compassionate, patient, loving, and just plain nicer than I was before Joel came along. Nicer? Well, most of the time.

 

Our short trip to Guatemala in January of 2005 also opened my eyes to the plight of people across the world who do not enjoy the benefits that we do here in the U.S. Up to that point, I knew in my head that we had it better here than anybody, anywhere else across this big, blue marble; however, that visit to Guatemala drove those facts that I knew into my heart, and I began to see things in a different light ... a brighter light that provided more clarity.

 

It also taught me that we in the U.S. have much to learn about living life in a more simple fashion. And that four days or so in Guatemala -- actually our entire adoption experience -- taught me that I need to depend on the Lord so much more.

 

Thank you for all the Gotcha Day well wishes. So many people played roles in helping us to bring Joel home.
     

We praise the Lord for all of our family members and friends who prayed for us and helped out in so many ways. Also, we are so thankful to God for leading us to the fantastic people at European Adoption Consultants -- our agency. Wow! Can't say enough or thank them enough for all they did! It is a true labor of love for all of the folks who work there.
     

Also, many thanks to our church family at First Church of the Nazarene in Gallipolis. You guys prayed for us and welcomed Joel with open arms. You gave us a true church home and we can't thank you enough for all that you did for us while we were there. We love you guys and miss you a lot!
     

Thanks to our adoption group in Gallia County. You guys are the best! We had so much fun at all of our gatherings with all of you and your beautiful little kids from China, Vietnam, Russia, so much fun.
     

We are also thankful for a courageous little woman in Guatemala who loved her little boy so much that she made the heart-wrenching decision to place him for adoption in the hope that he would find a better life. She stated that she wanted Joel to come to America so that he could be in a loving home and have opportunities that he would not have had in Guatemala. Our prayer is that, by God's grace, we can live up to her expectations of us, even though she didn't know with whom or where Joel would land.
     

We don't know why God chose us to be Joel's parents, but we are so thankful that has He blessed us with this sweet little guy. Joel is the love of our lives and the apple of our eyes. The Lord has taught us so much through this little man that he has brought into our lives.
     

Thank you, Lord, for all the blessings you have bestowed upon us! Thank you for Joel and the joy he brings us and so many others.