The Story of Babies 3 and 4

Probably more information than anyone wants, but helpful for me to get my thoughts out! Sorry, if the writing is a bit choppy. I have been working on this and adding to it over the past couple months, so it's kind of an ongoing story journal. :)

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The Story of Babies 3 and 4

This story begins years ago, long before Isaac and Ruby. Todd and I both felt we would adopt one day. We talked about it before we were even married. After we settled into married life, it was something that came up now and again. We went on living life, having babies. Being parents to our two was and is an immeasurable blessing. There’s bad days, tantrums, poop on the carpet, but really these “little years” have been full of a lot of joy for us. Two kids is very manageable. I was pretty content keeping our family to four.

To be honest, I feel like we’ve kind of been in an “easy bubble.” Why do anything too uncomfortable, got to have a cushion in the savings account. Then, several months ago God began to show me how desperately I want life to be easy and safe. God used a book (Radical) Todd and I read this past fall to start chipping away at this safe, comfortable American life we’ve bought into. These were, for me, some of the most convicting quotes from author, David Platt.

“It is easy for the numbers and statistics regarding the poor and needy to seem cold and distant. The idea of billions in poverty or twenty-six thousand children dying from starvation or preventable diseases before we lay our heads on our pillows tonight seems hard to imagine.

We learned that orphans are easier to ignore before you know their names. They are easier to ignore before you see their faces. It is easier to pretend they’re not real before you hold them in your arms.

So, when you and I hear staggering numbers about the poor and the needy around us and around the world, we have a choice. We can switch the channels on our mega-TV’s and continue our comfortable, untroubled, ordinary churchgoing lives as if the global poor don’t exist. Or, we can open our eyes and our lives to the realities that surround us and begin considering the faces that are represented by these numbers.

We can stand with the starving or with the overfed.

We can embrace Jesus while we give away our wealth, or we can walk away from Jesus while we hoard our wealth.”

The choice was clear for us—SEE those precious orphan faces, bring one home and give him or her a forever family. So began our adoption journey.

Still, I wanted things to be easy and fall into place and into the time frame I planned. Todd has summers off so a referral for a child by next summer would be perfect timing. Paperwork, appointments, long wait times and hoops to jump through abound.

I am reminded daily that when we align ourselves with God’s will it doesn’t equal easy. We know God is in this, and He knows the child we’re supposed to have. It’s so hard to think there are little boys and girls sitting, waiting for a family.

February 22, 2012…most of our preliminary paperwork is done, non-refundable deposit made, lots of references and appointments completed. This is starting to seem a little more real.

My feelings about baby #3 on this morning in particular were quite certain. But, the baby I was certain about wasn’t a dark faced little beauty from Africa. It was, is, will be a fair-skinned, blue eyed gift. A shocking, hugely surprising gift. Yes, there will be another Jorgenson baby.

“This doesn’t happen to us. We’re planners!” “Teachers don’t have babies in October!” “We’re supposed to be adopting a child who doesn’t have a family!” were some of the things I said in astonishment to my sister huddled in her bathroom over two blue lines.

My initial feelings were guilt. Guilt over the adopted child we wouldn’t be able to bring into our family right now. God almost immediately brought to mind James 1:17.

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows."

A friend also shared Proverbs 19:21 with me,
"Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails."

He’s already chosen the adopted child for our family, though His timing is not ours'. He wanted this sweet third baby to exist. He knows that I don’t know if I have what it takes to be a mom to three, let alone four. (I think my ideal of "easy" has been shattered!) He knows that I’m worried about tomorrow, and He is already there. What I DO know is that lots of joy awaits our growing family.