Not lacking anything...

After my last post, I thought I would come back with a much better attitude and outlook on things. I have to say that just getting it out there helped in a big way. I am so appreciative to those who sent words of encouragement and reinforcement. There was one message in particular that kept popping up in each of my conversations, so I figured that would be a good topic for today.

I need to start appreciating and enjoying what I have now, because life will change significantly when we are placed with a baby. It’s time to take the focus off of what I do not have. Lately, I have really been looking at James 1:2-4. I wrote out the verses in my last posting, but verse four has stuck with me (…so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything). Maybe that is why we are in this waiting period. God is giving us an opportunity to become mature and complete.

I want to use this time to continue preparing for the addition of a child. While I don’t always put a lot of stock in the various books that are out there, that doesn’t mean that I shouldn’t read them. I want to keep reading books and articles on parenting and adoption. The more information that I have, the more confident I will feel when the time comes. I know that I’ll never feel completely prepared, but I feel like this is a step in the right direction. While I have the time, it wouldn’t hurt to read up.

Matt and I also need to take advantage of this time that we have together. We know that children are going to change our relationship. That’s not to say it will be a bad change…just a change. Several friends who have recently added to their families, through birth and adoption, have emphasized this point. This doesn’t mean we need to become spontaneous and fly to other countries (although that would be cool). Our friends and family know that spontaneity is not one of our stronger qualities. It merely means that we should enjoy peaceful conversations, hikes around the Valley, going to the movies, and the many other activities that are a little harder with young kids. It’s through these things that our relationship will grow stronger, and make us even better parents.

While that is not a complete list of opportunities, it is a start. We’re going to work on taking advantage of this time that we have, even though we don’t actually know how much time there is. I want to make sure that when we bring our son/daughter home, we know that we are not lacking anything.