Believe it or not, I haven't fallen off the face of the earth! And even more unbelievable is the fact that I have wanted to post many, many things over the last three months, but it just hasn't happened. It's amazing how much of my time is consumed by two little people! This evening though Lily Ana is asleep in the swing and Em is watching Tinkerbell.
I keep calling into the living room to ask Emma Leigh if she's asleep and her reply each time is, "Yes..." I can just see the sparkle that I know is there in her eyes when she says it. She has become quite the little comedienne. I'm sure I don't know where she gets that from being Bryan Rasco's daughter and all! She is telling jokes right and left now. Her latest favorite is..."What do you get when you cross a chili pepper, a shovel, and Clifford? HOT DIGGETY DOG!" And even though we've now heard it at least 672 times, we still laugh because her sense of humor is so genuine and that sparkle in her gigantic, beautiful brown eyes just makes us melt. She's becoming so independent and more and more determined to be her own little person each day!
My sweet little Lily Ana is growing and changing too. She is nearly seven months old, and she has two cute, sharp little teeth right smack dab in the middle on the bottom. She laughs all the time, and her countenance visibly changes when she sees her big sister! One evening last week while we ate dinner, she sat playing in her bouncy seat near the table. As she was cooing and blowing very wet bubbles, I looked at her and said, "Where's Daddy?" She immediately turned and looked across the table at Bryan. He then said, "Where's Mommy?" and she turned back to me. I couldn't resist and said, "Where's your sister? Where's Emmie?" Without hesitation, she turned to face Emma Leigh. All three of us squealed with delight!
What a blessing these two girls are to us! During the month of January--Sanctity of Human Life Month--I thought a lot about how God so perfectly chose these two lives to become part of mine and Bryan's lives. Before He formed the universe, He knew that they would be grafted into our family. In January I listened to the two-day Focus on the Family radio programs about Abby Johnson, the Planned Parenthood director from Bryan/College Station whose life was transformed during the 40 Days for Life campaign in 2009. Focus on the Family also aired the unforgettable story of Jacqueline Ivel who tearfully shared her story of nearly being persuaded, as a young teen, to have a partial-birth abortion but chose instead to give birth and parent her child.
I've never considered myself to be much of an activist. Oh, I have opinions--strong ones. And I am outspoken, but I've not ever acted much on my convictions. I have always been straightforward with people concerning my pro-life stance, but it struck me during the month of January that as the mother of two precious lives, I should be doing more to spread the word that adoption is the most wonderful option for a birthmom who is not yet ready to parent her unborn child.
Every day I am able to gaze into the eyes of my two daughters and see bright futures because of birthmoms who chose to give them life. I am able to listen to the giggles and coos of these two beautiful girls because their birthmoms chose what did not come easy. They could have taken the "safe, easy" way out, but they chose to carry to term the life growing inside of them. They chose to endure labor and delivery of a child they knew they would not hold each day. Through deep, unselfish devotion, they chose to give life to their children.
I was looking at Emma Leigh this morning in church as she slept on my lap. I traced my finger along her dark eyebrows and ran my knuckles down her thick hairline. She looks nothing like I do, but never has there been a moment during her lifetime that I have considered her anything but my child--a gift of love to me when her birthmom chose life for her.
Then at the end of this morning's service we watched a video about the 40 Days for Life campaign that starts this week. I could sense God speaking to me about being a part of this. I don't know yet what part I'll play, but I know God wants me to do more. I am going to be seeking His plan for me. Pray about how He would have you be a part of the miracle of adoption!
8 years ago
