Welcome Home Ben

We headed home on Sunday February 24. I strapped Ben in his car seat for his last big ride for awhile. I was both anxious and excited to get home. I couldn’t wait to walk in the front door of my home with Ben in tow. I couldn’t wait to show Ben his room and welcome him to his new home.

The ride didn’t feel like the normal 5 hours it would usually take to get home. It seemed to go by quickly. I am an extremely sappy and sentimental person so the whole ride home I was playing songs like “Two Worlds, One Family” and “You’ll Be in My Heart” from Tarzan. 

As we got closer to Williamsburg I played Phillip Phillips “Home” for Ben. I want him to know that he is loved, safe, cared for, and that I will do all we can to make sure he feels at home.

I had made plans to stop off in a town about 20 minutes from our house where our pediatrician, who also happens to be a bi-vocational pastor at my church, lives. I wanted him to give Ben a good look over just to make sure he was okay. I would plan to set up an official doctor’s visit soon, but as a new parent I were a bit anxious to make sure he was healthy and doing what he should be doing.

I drove up their windy drive way and got Ben out of his car seat. He was ready to stretch a bit. I knocked on the door and when it opened the first thing I saw was a huge sign that said, “WELCOME HOME BEN” and many smiling faces of our church family. They threw Ben his first surprise party to welcome him home. As I have mentioned in earlier posts, my church family has been incredible. They have supported through love, encouragement, prayer, finances, and so many other ways. I don’t know how I would have made it through the adoption process without them. I was so blessed and I knew it more than ever in that moment.

We stayed for awhile and visited with church family. Many of them got to hold my sweet baby boy and look into his beautiful brown eyes. I was honored to tell his story over and over and answer any questions they had about his big arrival and the process so far.

After we visited for a bit our family gathered around us, as we held Ben, and we sang “Amazing Grace,” a song that has become one of Ben’s favorites. They then prayed a blessing over Ben and our family. It was a precious moment that I will not soon forget.

So, after a beautiful surprise homecoming party we were on our way to our house. As we pulled off the interstate onto our exit my eyes filled with tears. I had dreamed of this moment, prayed for this moment, and it was finally here. I was just minutes away from bringing my baby boy home. As we turned onto our street my heart was pounding. I found myself nervous. I wasn’t really sure why I was nervous except that all the excitement, anticipation, and emotion of the last few days was welling up inside of me. I had tried so hard while we were with T not to be emotional and I guess I had not let myself really experience all that I was feeling until that moment.

As we pulled into our driveway we were met with the most beautiful site. Our driveway was lined with candles as friends, family, more church family, students, neighbors, and more clapped and cheered yelling, “Welcome Home Ben!”

I knew I had been given a great deal of support throughout the adoption process, but in that moment my heart was so full. I wanted to talk to each person individually to tell them how much they meant to us and how much their presence there, in that precious moment, meant to me. I got out of the car and introduced my baby boy to his family, his community.

We were met with so many precious people that were saying kind and encouraging things to me and to Ben. I don’t know of any other baby that is so wanted, so loved, so prayed for, so anticipated, and so very much supported.

A sweet lady that I have been in Bible study with for a few years looked at me and said, “Our baby is home.” She then placed her hand on Ben and said, “A whole community has been waiting on you little guy. Welcome home.” 

Amazing. That is the only word I have to describe my life since January 31, the day I heard of the little baby boy in Alabama to February 24, the day we brought Benjamin David home, the day he was welcomed with open arms by a whole community who have been praying and waiting for him.

Baby Ben, you are loved. You are special. You are important. You are wanted. You are accepted. You are a gift. God has big plans for you buddy and I’m just blessed to be a part of it.

So, in the matter of 7 months my little boy was home. I filled out our first piece of paper work in August 2012 and returned home with Ben in February 2013. Things like that don’t happen without the sovereign hand of an Almighty God. $30,000 was raised in the matter of 5 months. Again, that doesn’t just happen. Every single step of the process was smooth from the initial home study to the ICPC. God is in the details. He funds what He favors. If he calls you to it He will equip you for it.

I always knew that adoption was part of my calling but I never imagined it would be this amazing.  I know God has called all of us to take care of the orphans and I think there is no better way than to bring a child into your home so that he/she doesn't have to be left as an orphan. I see it as a beautiful picture of what God has done for us. He adopted us into His family and promised that he wouldn't leave us as orphans. I simply want to share that same kind of love with Ben, and hopefully more children in the future. 

Bringing home my first child didn't look like I had always thought it would look. I am so glad God ruined my plans :)