A wee little thing continued

The wee little one is still here, and everyone is gaga over him, especially Elijah.  From all four boys come comments like, "Babies are so cute when they hiccup," "Everything he does is cute" and "I wish we could adopt him."  I think they'll have a sad day when he goes home with his adoptive mommy and daddy.

Will I have a sad day?  People keep asking me that: "Will it be hard to let him go?"

I won't miss the night awakenings.  I will miss the snuggles and sweet baby smell.  But what about my heart?  Will it hurt to let him go?

As sweet on him as I am, as utterly smitten, as gaga as the boys are over him, I don't think it will be hard to put him into his mother's arms and let him go.

Somewhere there is a family who has been waiting and hoping and praying for this child.  He is the answer to their prayers.  He will be a gift to them from God.  And to keep that gift for myself, however lovely it sounds, would be to deprive that family of what God intends for them to cherish.

I know families who are waiting and hoping and praying.  And I pray right along with them, "Lord, bring them the child you've chosen for them -- soon, please!"  I don't know whether a social worker or the adoptive parents will come to pick up the wee one from our home, but I hope it's the parents.  To get to be part of that first reunion, to place the wee one in the arms of those who have prayed for him since before he was born, would be to take part in a miracle.  Our parting will be their receiving.  Our goodbyes will be their welcome homes.  Our emptier arms will be their overflowing hearts.

Yes, my heart will miss the wee one, but it will also rejoice, knowing that his going home will be the sweetest answer to so many passionate prayers.