Reflecting on January 2

It's not a day you celebrate-the day your (adopted) child was abandoned, left outside and found alone.  We haven't even explained it to Noah yet; there's really no need at this point.  He hasn't asked about his birth parents.  His early memories are mostly positive of life at the orphanage especially the love he received from Bethel.  

He was found on January 2, 2011 in Zhengzhou, China outside of the gate of the Zhongyuan Chemical Science Technology Center.  On the same day, he was sent to the orphanage by a policeman.  He was estimated to be almost 3 months old.  We have never shared the pictures from his intake.  They're very special and were given to us by Show Hope after Noah's adoption was finalized and he came home with us .  He was so tiny.  We read in his finding ad that he was wearing a red coat.  Last February, when we visited the orphanage, the director gave us a fuzzy hat and said Noah had it on when he arrived.  He told us it was one that apple farmers might put on their children.  Noah saw the hat and thought it was silly.  I believe one day he will cherish it.  It might be the only part of his birth family he ever knows.  

Luke and I talk often about Noah's birth parents.  You, see, WE are his forever parents.  We are the only ones he has ever known and lovingly called Mommy and Daddy.  We don't know why Noah's birth parents chose to leave him.  And as ugly as this might sound-we don't really care.  Of course I am sad for them and I choose to focus on how happy Noah is, the joy he brings to all of our lives now and the miracle of adoption that God orchestrated through us.  We are still amazed he has been our son for only 11 months now.  Every January 2nd will be different from here forward.  The day Noah became an orphan holds a lot of sadness in it but not for us.  We are grateful to be on the other side with him.  We know that God had a plan for our Noah and they did not end on that cold day in 2010.

Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."