Monday, March 28, 2011

Our ever-expanding extended family...

I'm just thrilled to death about the new additions and soon-to-be additions to our family. Jill gave birth to my nephew, Israel James, just 3.5 weeks ago. He's perfect and precious in every way. Now, my brother-in-law, Neil, is in Ethiopia as I sit here writing this picking up my nephew, Gashaw. It has finally come to be! Gashaw is coming home to join his forever family, and I am overjoyed!
God's faithfulness shines through and through in the story of this family. If they would have learned they were pregnant before they chose Gashaw, they would have put a hold on the adoption process, and Gashaw might still be waiting to be adopted. In the years and moments leading up to the pregnancy and adoption, God's ways seemed more than just mysterious- at times, it seemed cruel. After being passed over by quite a few birth mothers, hope was fading and the heart ache was almost more than they could bear. But, how else could God have done it? Gashaw wasn't up for adoption yet, and although He knew he would grant them a child from Jill's womb, He also ordained Gashaw for their family. And, of course, Israel is the baby God had for their family. No other baby would do!
The waiting was a necessary part of the process for their family to be exactly what it is today, which is just as God has destined it to be. It's miraculous when you really consider all that had to be orchestrated. They found out about the pregnancy just DAYS after their referral for Gashaw was accepted. Only God puts together stories like this! I get to meet my newest nephew on Friday. My stomach has butterflies each time I think of it! And, in a few more weeks, we will welcome another niece/nephew to the family when my twin brother and sister-in-law have their second child- that will be number 9 on my side of the family. Big families are totally crazy, totally fun, totally beautiful :)

3 comments:

a blog full of weldons. said...

oh, i just can't stop crying as i read this! it really is so so so amazing and wonderful...the timing of our great Father is beyond what we can see or fathom! can't wait to meet this precious boy!!!

Megan Flinn said...

ahhh!!! so so so wonderful!!! perfect. just perfect!

Lauren said...

what an amazing blessing! Your family has quite a story!

Welcome!

We're the Wells family. We currently consist of Michael (husband and daddy), Lauren (wife and mama), Evangeline (daughter and princess), and Samuel (son and prince). We live a pretty simple life loving the many blessings that God grants us each and every day.
Mike is a genius carpenter/contractor and works throughout neighboring counties. Lauren stays at home with Eva and Sam most of the time, but works a few days a week as a therapist.
More than anything else, we love being together as a family- trips to the gardens, swimming at Grammie and Papa's house, and bike rides & walks are probably our most frequent activities. We're surrounded by our family (siblings and parents); they all live within 30 minutes of us!
That's us in a nut shell.
We're thankful you dropped by our site!