The Road To Four

Monday, January 14, 2013

Blessed


[this post was started Sunday, finished in flight Sunday night, but was partially lost due to iPad gremlins, so I am attempting to re-write as best as I can.]

This is Adam posting this one.  I don't write nearly as poetically as Kerri, but I had this on my heart so I wanted to share.

This journey down the adoption road has been incredible.  The applications, approvals, classes, paper chase, then one agonizing wait after another...  Now here we are with bags more or less packed waiting for our Wednesday morning departure.  All in less than 11 months.

I am sitting at the airport waiting for my flight to Iowa for a quick 2 day trip, and this is the first time I have had an opportunity to reflect and express the overwhelming emotions of all of this.  (To be fair,  I sat in the recliner for the final 3.001 quarters of the bronco game, but I was consumed by different emotions during that time - and for a little while afterwards)

The emotions hit me on Friday as I was leaving the office after a marathon afternoon of performance reviews and meetings.  After being surprised by the urgency of the planning and packing cycle,  this week was a blur.  I was blown away by the way that God has placed everything at just the right time, for just the right reasons.  

The big ones for me on Friday were:
- We booked our airfare,  for considerably cheaper than we expected
- We got word that Christopher got into the school we have been trying to open enroll him into, after expecting an inconvenient appeals process that we had to go through with Rachel.
- After practicing my shade tree mechanic skills last weekend, we still had an Adam-induced ABS error light on Kerri's car.  I had to cave and bring it to the dealer to get it dealt with since I just didn't have time and Kerri's mom is going to be driving this car for 2 weeks while we are gone.   Dealer called and said a sensor had been bumped and come unplugged.   Went to pick it up, and there was no charge!!  From a dealer!!   Kudos to Jeremy and Jeff at Ed Bozarth Chevrolet Park Meadows.  They have bailed me out in the past and came through again this time.
- I finished up performance reviews for my Denver Staff.  I realized just how fortunate I am to have such an awesome team 
- After not seeing any new pictures of Michael since October, we received another update, with encouraging news of good development progress

Then to top it off,  as I was leaving the office building I hear someone from calling my name from behind me.  I turn around to see one of my best friends from high school who happened to be working a contract job in the same building.  He greeted me with a hug and a congrats.  I started to share a little of the blessings I had had that day, but had to stop short because I was getting choked up and wouldn't have been able to make it.   Thanks for the great timing Jon,  you topped off an already great day.

[added later because I am re-writing this due to technical difficulties]  -- Today (Monday) our very good friends surprised us by paying for a house cleaning.   Which is a huge blessing because Kerri is not one to leave a dirty house, and it would have consumed much of Monday and Tuesday that needs to be spent getting other things ready...   

While these things may seem small, the pile on effect of all of them just got me, and it got me where it counts.   

Some have asked why we are doing this, other have probably not felt comfortable.  But to me,  we both felt like we have been called to do this.  And the blessing falling as they have fallen, and when they have fallen have done nothing but solidify that calling.  I am convinced God has his divine blessing on this process and on this child.

This is not just about bringing home a lonely child into a loving home.  It is that and so much more.  It is about his impact on so many lives of so many people making this journey along with us.

To all who have and who are journeying with us.  We thank you and we love you!

I can't wait to meet my boy on Monday.

-Adam-

Oh, and we got another version of the same update today,  so here is one more new picture of little man (think we need to find him another shoe! )


3 comments:

  1. We cannot wait, and your three kiddos here are going to be spoiled rotten and have tons of attention from your extended 'family' here while you are away!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Adam (And Kerri!) I can not tell you how excited I am for the Junge family to bring this little guy home! You both are incredible people and parents, and this little one will be SOOO blessed with all of the love from everyone that surrounds the Junge Family! If I can say (as the big sister) I am so proud of you, and what you are doing. Enjoy the experience and adventure in your travels - embrace each moment as something to share with Michael down the road, and know you have a HUGE support system when you get home to get through all of the bumps in the road and challenges as well! Adam, I got teared up reading your post (I know, imagine that! :)) You wrote it beautifully, and am so glad that you are my brother! Love you guys so much - we will be thinking and praying for safe travels tomorrow, and again on the 1st... make sure to keep blogging along the way! Love, Beth, Joe, Sophia and Nya

    ReplyDelete
  3. My heart is so happy for all of you! I have been praying all day for everyone in the Junge Family to have peace tomorrow and throughout the next few weeks. Although I'm all the way over here in Washington, my love for all of you has never been stronger and I'm always here to help...no matter what!
    To: Rachel, Drew, and Chris
    Aunt Jen loves you! Please text and call me anytime. I love you all very much and am so proud of how all of you have supported your mom and dad during all of this. Michael has the best brothers and sister.
    To Kerri:
    Your strength is so inspirational. I love you so much and will miss our early morning coffee conversations, but I'm excited for us to have them in a few weeks with a little Chinese voice in the background. Lol. I know how hard this is for you. Remember the end result and that we are all here to take care of your precious kids.
    To Adam:
    Thank you for listening to your heart and walking the path towards adoption. You lead your family so beautifully and I couldn't be more thankful that my sister has you for her support and that my niece and nephews call you "dad". Love you and take care of Kerri.

    Love,
    Me

    ReplyDelete