Today my little Kissy Face legally became Kellen Alexander Mitchell, son of Sarah and Matt Mitchell!! The adoption was finalized today.
It's been a very long seven months, and a roller coaster ride of faith and emotions for everyone, but thank the Lord it's done and no one can come and take away our miracle baby again. There is a peace inside knowing this process is now complete, and even though up to this point it has been joyful, heartbreaking and then joyful again it's been worth any of the heartbreak for a time to say in the end this IS my Grandson, not just in my heart but legally and officially. The scripture "Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning." Psalm 30:6 is completely appropriate and full of meaning now. The "night" lasted for five and half weeks but the "morning" is here for good filled with inexpressible joy!
I still remember the night they brought Kellen home from the hospital, so little and so precious, that smile he gave me the first time I held him that completely melted my heart and caused me to fall in love with him in an instant.
It's funny because when I first thought about the idea of adoption, I kind of wondered if the love I would feel for that baby would be instant like it is when a child comes into your life the "old fashioned" way or if it is something that would grow over time. I found the answer to that the minute I held him.
Honestly I was not sure how I would feel when Sarah and Matt finally brought their new son home, I even wondered if I would be able to just completely accept an adopted grandchild the way I imagined I would should they have been able to conceive a child. Now I cannot imagine loving him more than I do. I have said this before, but the moment I held him I knew I not only loved him, but that he was the child God ordained to be a part of our family.
Even though he was taken for a short time, deep inside I knew and still believed Kellen was born to be Sarah and Matt's son. It is the reason he was conceived and the reason he was born. God has great plans for our little man, of this I am sure. I was confused and afraid to speak that out loud when he was first taken and in the weeks in between, because it made no sense for the Lord to allow that to happen.
However, as usual because we don't see the "whole picture" of course it didn't make sense. I do believe now that in part, Kellen being returned to his birth mom for those weeks and then returned back to Sarah and Matt showed a lot of people, including I am sure some unbelievers and/or skeptics the mighty power and grace of God. It brought a lot of people to their knees in prayer for the situation, for Kellen's safety and welfare, for Sarah and Matt, and for the rest of our family. God performed an awesome miracle through all this. In fact it was not just one miracle but many miracles throughout the seven months leading up to today.
I know it's been a huge spiritual journey for my faith, a realization that no matter what happens the Lord never leaves our side, he may allow unpleasant things to pass into and out of our lives, but there is always a higher purpose. We can make a choice during those times to either choose to love and live for him because He is God and Lord no matter what happens, or we can choose to turn our backs and hearts from him when he works in ways that allow us to hurt for a time, only "loving and living" for Him only when we get what we want and don't have to experience any pain or trials.
Some scriptures come to mind that say, focus on the things unseen and not those things seen...what happens here on earth is temporary but after that it is eternal and forever. The trials we may endure for a time will pass, there is a much bigger picture involved, one we cannot and may not see until we reach heaven. (My paraphrase) Unlike us the Lord already knows the beginning, the middle, and the end. Nothing comes as a surprise to Him and He alone knows not only the ultimate outcome, but the affect of each and every situation for each and every person on the planet.
Something you do today that you think might be inconsequential might in fact be the thing that positively (or negatively) affects the course of another person’s life. It's pretty amazing and scary when you really ponder just what that means.
Does your faith and love for the Lord stand even in the midst of hurt and trials? That speaks volumes to those who have any contact in your sphere of living. Do you only praise and continue to follow the Lord when things are going your way and you are not experiencing any trials? Those things are the things that can turn others away from God instead of towards Him.
Through all of this I have never even considered walking away from Him, I had doubts about whether or not He was listening to certain prayers or that He would do miracles in other people’s lives but seemed to not be willing to do “this” one for our family. But I not stopped loving Him or believing in Him, He sent His only Son Jesus to suffer and die for me that I might have eternal life and to put it into perspective, there is nothing I could go through while here on earth that could even compare to the pain and suffering Jesus went through when He took not only my sins upon himself but the whole worlds, paying the penalty each one of us deserves. And just as Jesus was resurrected and is at the right hand of his Father, I too have that to look forward to…and THAT is forever and ever…what happens here…that is just dust in the wind in comparison.
So in the end it’s official…Kellen Alexander Mitchell is now and forever more my Grandson and the Lord God my God still reigns!
