Gifts

We had the most amazing four days in Minnesota!

And we received three great gifts!

Gift 1: Sharing in the love, laughter and hugs of our friends' children. We needed that. Oh to be smothered for hours at a time in smiles and soft hair and star wars and boys hockey enthusiasm, twirly dresses, baseballs, dimples, and warm pajamas and pink cowgirl boots. We were blessed with the gift of child love for the entire day on Sunday and it couldn't have been a better reminder of why we're adopting our own ray of sunshine. On Monday in the airport Jeremy kept pointing out little girls. They were everywhere. Little girls all over the airport and everywhere we looked. The world has been taken over by little girls. I think he is smitten. ;)

Gift 2: Our first physical gifts! I have never, in 10 full years of wanting children, succumbed to the urge (ok, more than an urge, the overwhelmingly powerfully bizarre hypnotic trance inducing pull of the baby aisle at Tar*get) and actually bought anything for a "future" child. This weekend we were gifted with presents! Actual little sippy cup with giraffes, actual little tiny multicolored feeding spoons, actual little bright colored non-spill plates and bowls. BPA free. Oh my. It was surreal. I couldn't stop looking in the bag at all the little baby things. I carried them on the plane! I don't even know where to put them. They are lined up on the dining room table. Now what?? We don't even have a spot in the house for collecting kid miscellaneous!

Gift 3: Sara Groves. I received the gift of Sara Groves. More than cosmic coincidence I think.

I rarely RARELY have interest in a specific musician. Indigo Girls for a solid 18 years - check. Now Sara - check. So believe me I'm not a rabid fan for just anyone.

But Sara's music absolutely reaches in and touches my heart and soul. I think she must have been Indigo Girls inspired because I hear a lot of similarities in her social justice lyrics.

On Saturday night I was talking to my college roommate's boyfriend at our other roommate's wedding. I knew he was a musician but hadn't learned much more than that in the past. We were talking about his group and the tour he was on this fall, etc. I was maintaining very low to minimal interest when he mentioned a Christmas CD. I actually said "oh! I love new Christmas music, why don't you write down the name so I can look for it." and then think to myself "wait, no, I just bought Sara Groves' Christmas CD and haven't even opened it yet. Might need to hold off on more Christmas music for now." He says the name of the artist and the world stops for a minute, slowly spins around (could have been the dance floor spinning), and I seriously feel like I've just received the most beautiful God present.

Sara Groves. Aaron is her bassist. He tours with her. He is recording with her. He is friends with her. I told him that she reminds me of the only other major musical influence in my life, Indigo Girls, and he said she would feel the same.

When we first thought about adopting, before I even starting "feeding" it to Jeremy, I would land on adoption blogs and often hit on Sara's songs. Sitting in front of the computer I would cry these huge ugly tears that I never cry anymore. I really believe that God can use anything, especially good music, to teach us and to move us towards goals and plans we might never have had the courage to run towards on our own. Sara's music is my adoption anthem. My career anthem. She is the soundrack of my life in 2009.

Thank you for that gift. I can't wait to meet her and say it in person!

~A