So there are two reasons why I haven't blogged in nearly a month...
One reason is probably pretty obvious...
Keeping up with these 3 little treasures has taken up every second of every day!
The other reason isn't as cute...
The day after my last post we received a terrifying phone call from our social worker.
Just a couple weeks after finally coming home with our Ruthie,
one day after our baby turned one month old
and just days before her baptism
we heard this news:
"Your adoption is being contested."
The beautiful dream we were just beginning to taste was suddenly yanked away... and we felt broken and helpless.
This helplessness eventually turned into a paralysis for me when it came to things like blogging, planning, even day-dreaming of the years to come.
I was weak and afraid- just trying to put one foot in front of the other.
But God..
He didn't just leave me in this broken place. Slowly he began to show me what he promised the apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:9
"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness"
He consistently gave me the grace I needed to make it through the day, one day at a time. His mercies were new every morning and slowly he began to show me contentment in today-surrendering my tomorrows to Him...
(There's a lot more to share here- in time.)
God also provided us with great counsel and prayer warriors to support us. One of these great conselors was our home study social worker, Hollie.
I will never forget her response on a day that I called her in despair- she said "The same God that changed the heart of Pharaoh and parted the Red Sea is in control today"...
That soon became my consistent prayer ...
Father, just as you changed the heart of Pharaoh, please change the heart of the man contesting our adoption but unlike Pharaoh let him come to know you as Savior...
As I said above there is a LOT more to share about the last month...
...the grace God gave us each day
...the encouragements we received seemingly out of nowhere
...the most specific prayer requests that God answered
...the heroic actions of our birthmother (who was NOT the reason for the contest)...
But today I just want you to share in our joy
so I will skip to the end of this chapter of our story.
Today just before lunch I received a call again from our social worker- or so I thought.
Caller ID said:
Suzanne- Bond of Love agency
I answered- "Hi this is Maria!"
and I heard
"Hi Maria! It's "B" (our birthmom)
then she said
"are you sitting down? I have good news for you again"
So I obediently sat down and she said
"I got him to sign all the papers. Ruthie is officially yours"
It. Is. Over.
To God be all the glory and honor- the contest is over and we can now FINALLY move to finalize our adoption! In a matter of months, the baby girl that was born of our hearts on May 8th will officially become a Ferguson.
We are floored by His great love for our little family.
Instead of immediately calling Niles at work after hearing from "B" today, I decided to WAIT to surprise him with our incredible news when he got home.
So the boys and I made signs and got balloons...
When Daddy arrived boys met him outside and made him close his eyes and walk in while Mommy stood shaking like a leaf trying to capture the moment...
Surprise!
Please forgive the quality of the photographs (as I said, I was SHAKING like crazy!).
I think you get the idea :) Daddy was thrilled!
Today our family will raise an Ebeneezer to remind us what God has done. May He receive all glory, honor and praise.
