ThumP, ThUmp, THumP...go the fingers

SO, I'm up thinking that it's 8:33 a.m. in Addis Ababa now. At this moment a judge is preparing to hear our case, a mother is relinquishing all ties to a child she loves very much, a little boy is unknowingly acquiring a new identity, and a family anxiously hopes for the fulfillment of a wish long overdue. I can't stop imagining what's going on in the hustle and bustle of Addis. I wonder if the midst of the traffic, the comings and goings of workers, and the students heading to school, if ANYONE realizes what is going on at this moment, on this monumental day? Just one person, please, who realizes today changes so much. Today, the life of a birth mom, a baby boy, and a family permanently change. Is there anyone who's memorializing the transition of an orphan to a son? Is there anyone sitting next to my son, explaining to him what is transpiring, how his life is going to change? And what of his birth mom? Who is holding her? I'm praying for her. I pray that today, God in His gracious, loving way puts an encourager in her path. I pray He gives her an Aaron to hold her up as she is warn and tired and must choose to persevere in this path. I pray she knows God as her sustainer and strong tower, as He has proven to be! I just can't put to rest all of the thoughts in my mind. There is no way to capture the emotion, the love, the fear, and the pain that co-exist. But I can say, "I am ready, Lord. Bring him home. Thank you for the extra time You took to prepare our hearts."