In the last nine years my family has relocated, I started high school, then subsequently graduated high school. I have started and stopped my pursuit of a college degree something like five times. I met Jesus and started building a relationship with him. I have been through some crazy health issues. In the last nine years, I have experienced joy like no other, and immeasurable loss.
A lot can happen in nine years.
As many of you know, my husband and I have met and fallen in love with a nine year old. He is amazing. He has been through more in his nine years, than I have in my twenty three. He has sufferred heart break after heart break, and lived to smile through pain and tears.
I ponder on the time that most parents get to really pour into their child's life. Eighteen years. We might have half of that. In the next nine years, we will be working tirelessly to teach him the ways of the Lord. We will be counting on that same Lord for wisdom, and understanding. There is so much time to make up for, so many memories to make, and so many lessons to teach. In nine short years, we will be ruthlessly pouring into his life, having difficult conversations that no parent should ever have to have, and we will continue to learn of the hurt that he has seen. For the next nine years we will be racing against the clock to undo nine years of damage, and heal the wounds that are reopening as he opens his heart to us.
So forgive me, if I don't make plans, or if I decide I would rather have family time than get involved in one more thing. Please understand that if I cancel, its because he doesn't deserve one more cancelation in his life. After all, we only have nine years. No time to waste.
With that being said, I could not be more thankful for the awesome people that God has placed in our lives to help us along this journey. My family is amazingly helpful. Our church family is a huge blessing. I am so very thankful to be able to say I am a member of God's church, and that His people have embraced the child that I am learning to call my son. I am thankful for the many youth leaders that spend their time and energy to invest in a nine year old. I cannot express the gratitude that is in my heart for the people that introduced us, and who also opened their home to him, when we weren't able to. Most of all I am thankful for the life of a nine year old, and that God decided to trust us with his heart. After all, God is where I am placing all of my trust these days.
