This time of year is poignant for my family. We are reminded in daily doses of God's provision for us two years ago. Our adoption story was a long time simmering that climaxed with a raging boil. Within 48 hours of learning of our daughter's existence, she was ours. Detail upon detail fell in to place showing God's hand in bringing our daughter to us, from her name, her birthday, each little thing was an affirming whisper of God's grace.
The most stunning visual is in the burst of pink we see each year in cherry blossoms.
Yes, cherry blossoms.
When Kara was in the NICU, we worked each day to help our daughter heal. Brilliant therapists worked alongside us and doctors to help her learn how to eat and relax, to grow and be ready to come home.
I remember one day I was on a walk, and I was reveling in the beautiful cherry blossoms that had newly bloomed. The sun was shining, and I was missing my little baby girl who was in another city. I had appointments that day that kept me in town while my husband got to spend the day with her.
I began to pray.
A thought came into my mind.
But I wasn't sure I could ask what I thought. Is it okay to pray that way? What if God didn't want to answer?
It was then that I was reminded we can approach the throne of grace with confidence. Christ is sitting as my great High Priest waiting to make intercession for me.
So I asked.
"Lord, please bring Kara home before the cherry blossoms fall."
There. I did it. I didn't know if God would do it. I knew he could, but I just hoped he would. I didn't know what number of days that was, but it was just something that came to mind. And I dared to pray boldly. Sometimes it takes faith to just ask what we don't know God wants to give us.
As the days passed, our sweet girl improved. March went on, and the cherry blossoms held fast. I was watching them, and on March 15 our girl's gavage (her feeding tube) came out. The doctor's words were, "She's on the clock."
What that meant was our littlest Little K needed to eat well by herself and show that she could thrive on her own. It also meant we needed to demonstrate an ability to feed her.
March 16th I spent the night in the NICU because the doc was ready to send her home the next day.
On March 17th, St. Patrick's Day, Kara was ready to go home, and the trees were still full of pink blossoms. Pink was a much better color that day than green.
God answered. He answered a simple prayer, prayed in a bold whisper.
"Lord, please bring Kara home before the cherry blossoms fall."
And he did.
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| This year, my husband and I are apart on Kara's Homecoming Day. He saw this in the Paris airport: Cherry Blossoms. |
