To the middle of Nowhere....

The boys and I hit the road this past week and took a 7 hour trip through the hills to West Virginia to visit the Moles family, our friends from college days. It was an incredible trip for all of us. I had been warned by many that the drive down 81 would be long and boring. However, it was a gorgeous day and the tree covered mountains were beautiful. The lush green actually took my mind back to the days of Kevin and I driving all over Hawaii. The boys were equally impressed with the view. At one point they both had fallen asleep and gave me some quiet time to pray. My thoughts were eventually interrupted by Kody's voice from the back seat, "Mommy, we are in the middle of no where...I can't see any houses!"

Our friends have two boys of their own and they all immediately hit it off. Kody thought they were destined to be BFFs because they had the same pirate ship that we have at our house. It doesn't take much at age 5. I love the simplicity of relationships at that age.

Just a short time ago our friends were waiting for their own referral from Ethiopia. Kevin and I followed their story on their blog and eagerly awaited the day they would bring their baby home. Well, last summer they brought home their precious little Levi. I was very excited to get to meet him, see all their pics from their trip and get the inside of scoop of a family who is a few miles down the road from our own journey. Levi quickly turned upside down many of the things that I had heard about adopted children. He was so excited to see us and at first introduction came to me and gave me a hug. His sweet and loving spirit just spills out in everything he does, including constant snuggles and smiles for anyone in his presence. Truly he was the most happy 18 mo old that I have ever been around!

Even though it has been years since my friend, KP, and I were together it seemed as if it was just a few days. It was so refreshing for my spirit to fellowship with her and her family....exactly what I needed, it was such a wonderful gift from our Father.

The bond that KP and Levi have is something not of this world. Each time I heard Levi call out "mommy" and run to KP, it melted my heart. He was abandoned, left all alone to die on the side of the road. Yet, he was not abandoned by God. For His Heavenly Father loved him and "knew the plans he had for him, plans to give him a hope and a future" (jer 29:11). God purposed to place him in a family with a mommy, daddy and brother who love him unconditionally. It is a beautiful thing to behold.

I long for the day to hold my own precious one. My daughter who is born not of my womb, but of my heart.