We've Come A Long Way Baby

Jack as a little baby.

Crying in the orphanage.

Adopting Jack has been one of the biggest miracles of my life. Sometimes I get so caught up in the ordinary of our family's life that I overlook the extraordinary and it takes a day like today to bring those realizations to the surface. It's been three years today since Jack officially joined our family. Jason and I woke up in a hotel room in Guangzhou, China with a lot of excitement and a little bit of fear. That same morning Jack woke up with a lot of fear and very little excitement. The moment is seared in my memory but even more so in his. When Jack was sorting his Halloween candy he came to me with a package of mini m&m's and said, "look mom, this is the candy you gave me when you adopted me." He was right. I had pulled out a pack of mini m&m's to help him come to me on that day three years ago. I don't remember ever talking about this to him, yet he remembered.

Recently I was thinking about Jack and had one of those moments where understanding is quickened. It's a nanosecond in time but the impressions remain. I had a moment where I realized the miracle of Jack's life. That he was born, abandoned, living in loneliness and then ultimately surrounded by those who love him and whom he loves. He is part of a family. Anytime a family is formed it's a miracle. He is an example of hope and of the power of the atonement. It's plainly obvious to me now (but hasn't always been) that I will never understand the depth of loneliness that an orphan child feels. I can only take comfort in my absolute faith that the Savior knows. I can be in instrument in helping Jack know that too.

Today I dropped Jack off for school. He was greeted by one of his classmates who was so happy to see him. "C'mon Jack," he said and invited Jack to hang out in the teepee the teacher had just set up. Jack ran off with him looking over his shoulder at me with a twinkle in his eye. I smiled at him and gave him the thumbs up. I think we were both thinking how far we've come since this day in time three years ago. Fear has been replaced by hope for both of us.