Welcome Home- 7/8 Month Update

I never imagined that I would be sitting down to write this kind of update for our December — or “seven-ish, almost eight months” — adoption update. If you’ve followed along at all, you know that this journey has involved a whole lot of waiting, praying, trusting, questioning, and then trusting some more.

And yet… here we are.

Our story isn’t fully finalized yet, and for us, that means holding some things close while still sharing what God has done. And He has done a lot.

Looking back now, it’s wild to think about how many moments along the way felt so close. There were cases we prayed over deeply. One in particular felt like it fit in every way, and when it didn’t move forward, the disappointment was real. At the time, it felt like God was speaking through that situation… but now I can see Him smiling, knowing what was coming next. The kind of “just wait” that only makes sense in hindsight.

December 23rd will forever be a date we hold close.

For the first time in as long as I can remember, I took nearly two full weeks off around Christmas. No conferences, no travel, no packed calendar. Just intentional time with our boys. We even made a little Christmas week plan. Baking, movies, shopping trips, all the cozy things.

We shuffled our schedule a bit, not thinking much of it at the time. Now we know better.

That Tuesday, during what was supposed to be a slow day at home, a series of phone calls changed everything.

That was the day we learned about our sweet Lola.

She was already here. A baby girl. And she would be coming home with us the following Monday, December 29th.

I happened to be standing in Hobby Lobby when one of those calls came through. I had gone in for a last-minute gift card, and after hanging up and trying to pull myself together like a normal human, I turned around and saw a small sign sitting right behind the gift cards. It said, “Trust Him. He has a plan.”

It was slightly damaged. I bought it anyway.

That sign has been hanging in our kitchen ever since.

When I got home and told Josh, he didn’t hesitate for even a second. “That’s our baby girl,” he said. And somehow, by the grace of God, we managed to keep that secret for two whole days. Telling our boys was one of the sweetest moments of this entire journey. Christmas Day brought more tears, more joy, and the beginning of the longest wait — from Christmas to the following Monday.

Those days were filled with last-minute preparations, a few pink purchases after months of gender-neutral everything, and a lot of staring at the clock. When Monday finally came, we started early, drove to our agency, and picked up our girl.

It was pure magic.

There are so many details we’ll share one day. So many moments where God’s hand was undeniable. But for now, we’re soaking in newborn snuggles, finding our rhythm, and sitting in awe of how faithfully God wrote this chapter… down to every single detail, even the ones we didn’t understand at the time.

If you’re in a season of waiting, this is your encouragement: He really is in every detail. Your baby may already be here. Or on the way. Or known by God in ways you can’t yet see. I know it’s easier to say that from this side of things, but His faithfulness has been proven to us over and over again.

Thank you to everyone who has prayed, checked in, supported us quietly, and walked alongside us in this journey. You know who you are. You are forever part of our story, and part of Lola’s.

God is so good. Always was. Always will be.