We do know some of the little boys' story. We will get to travel 6 hours by jeep to the hut in Ethiopia where they were born when we go on our second trip. We will get to sit down with birth family and ask them questions. They will get to ask us questions. We will get to look into the eyes that loved these little boys before we did. I can not image how that will impact us. I'm not sure how to prepare for this precious time. I've been thinking about what we want to ask ... what we want to know about the first years of our little boys' life. I do know that I want to gather as much information as I can get. And then I wonder how do I prepare for the time that we will need to share this information with the boys?
We are being told that often times "the story" changes after we get in the country. That because of language barriers and cultural differences ages may not be documented correctly or that things might have changed since the day our boys were brought to the orphanage to when we will visit with birth family for example. As I do my best to prepare to gather as much information as I can, I know that there will be some unanswered questions. Questions in my heart ... questions that I know the answers about when I think about the babies that grew inside me and that I was able to be with the very second they entered this world. I will trust that we know what we need to know, that we will find out what we need to find out. I'll leave the "unknown's" in the arms of Jesus, the only One that knows the whole story.
It kind of feels like putting a puzzle together. And what is so cool is ... God has already shown us pieces of the puzzle to confirm that these boys are our boys. Who else but God could knit a family together ... bringing children to us that were born on the other side of the world!
Although we do know parts of the twins story many have suggested we keep their story to ourselves. Not because it is a bad story that we don't want to share, but because we want to be able to share what we know about the twins story with them first. Then, as the boys get older, they will be able to share their story. So, if you see us and ask some of these questions, know that when we do not give you the answers it is not because we trying to keep some "big secret" from you, or don't trust you with the information, or are not close enough to you to share. We are just respecting our little guys. We want them to know and understand that our family is a safe place for them, which starts now before we've even held their little hands.
"I love you, Lord; you are my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety." Psalm 18:1-2
