Annual New Year Reflection
I wasn't really planning on writing anything in light of the new year but I stumbled upon last year's reflection and decided reflection really is a good thing to do every once in a while, and what better excuse than a new year?
If you're new here, every year I come up with a theme or mantra to sit with for the upcoming 365 days. In 2017 I picked the Elizabeth Eliot quote "Don't dig up in doubt what you planted in faith". I wrote it on a chalk board and saw it often throughout the year, but if I'm honest I can't say that it resonated as much as other mantras have in years past. I still really like the quote but it didn't sink into my heart like I thought it would. When we decided to switch adoption agencies it felt like the complete opposite of my mantra. I felt like we did dig up what we planted in faith so we could plant something new in renewed faith. Perhaps that's why my mantra didn't really stick this year. Being a novice gardener, I've learned sometimes you have to know when give up on something that's not growing and turn your attention to a different vegetable in the garden that is showing more promise. Even if you were really excited and hopeful for that other vegetable, you could miss out on the other vegetable if you spend all your time trying to nurture something that just isn't going to grow.
It could be residual from my mantra not really sticking last year, but I'm not really feeling very mantra-ee this year so I'm keeping it simple and to the point for 2018...drum roll please...
Get a dang baby already.
I found an old adoption to-do list in my phone the other day and this was the last remaining item on it. It made me chuckle so I'm using it as my 2018 'thing'. If you're sick of hearing about our adoption journey then 2018 is not the year for you to read my blog or be my friend because that's where all my energy is living these days.
I'm probably jinxing everything by writing this (because don't you know I have SO much power over everything?) but we feel like our adoption really will happen this year. This is probably the rose-colored glasses of working with a new agency speaking, and we're not actually approved yet so it's really easy to be super hopeful, but I can just feel it in my bones. This is our year to finally meet our first child.
It's amazing to think back to the first time we were going through the approval process. I feel miles more prepared and have learned SO MUCH since then. It took us almost a year to get through the approval process the first time and this time only a few months (and only that long because I had to wait for other people to accomplish most of the steps); and nothing transferred so it's not like we had less to do. I read a post from another adoptive mom that said being an adoptive mom is "being handed a mountain of paperwork, riding a roller coaster of anxiety, facing a seemingly insurmountable amount of fees, and standing tall and asking, 'What else?'"
The first time around I was so defensive every step of the way and each time I would shut down and then have to work through my frustration before I could even complete the task. This time I just plowed through the checklists like a freaking hurricane and then was like, "What else do you need? My kidney? Sure thing, Monday work for you for the surgery?" I can't speak from experience but that made me feel like I was finally ready to be a mom. Bring. it. on.
We have one more home study appointment that has been postponed until next Saturday for reasons out of our control and then (finger's crossed they won't have dug up any dirt that makes them no longer want to partner with us) we'll be approved again and I'll spend my days trying my hardest not to let my (perhaps unrealistic) expectations ruin my faith that it will happen.
Okay, I was going to end there, but I apparently can't just walk away with such a trite 2018 thing so maybe I'll tack on Matthew 19:26.
2018:
Get a dang baby already. Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible".
That's better, it has more meat to it. There's nothing like taking bible verses out of context to use for personal inspiration.
No, I changed my mind. I don't like taking Bible verses that much out of context. Let's try Mark 11:22-24.
2018:
Get a dang baby already. And Jesus answered them, "Have faith in God. Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be taken up and thrown into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours."
Yes, I like that better. Here's to 2018!
If you're new here, every year I come up with a theme or mantra to sit with for the upcoming 365 days. In 2017 I picked the Elizabeth Eliot quote "Don't dig up in doubt what you planted in faith". I wrote it on a chalk board and saw it often throughout the year, but if I'm honest I can't say that it resonated as much as other mantras have in years past. I still really like the quote but it didn't sink into my heart like I thought it would. When we decided to switch adoption agencies it felt like the complete opposite of my mantra. I felt like we did dig up what we planted in faith so we could plant something new in renewed faith. Perhaps that's why my mantra didn't really stick this year. Being a novice gardener, I've learned sometimes you have to know when give up on something that's not growing and turn your attention to a different vegetable in the garden that is showing more promise. Even if you were really excited and hopeful for that other vegetable, you could miss out on the other vegetable if you spend all your time trying to nurture something that just isn't going to grow.
It could be residual from my mantra not really sticking last year, but I'm not really feeling very mantra-ee this year so I'm keeping it simple and to the point for 2018...drum roll please...
Get a dang baby already.
I found an old adoption to-do list in my phone the other day and this was the last remaining item on it. It made me chuckle so I'm using it as my 2018 'thing'. If you're sick of hearing about our adoption journey then 2018 is not the year for you to read my blog or be my friend because that's where all my energy is living these days.
I'm probably jinxing everything by writing this (because don't you know I have SO much power over everything?) but we feel like our adoption really will happen this year. This is probably the rose-colored glasses of working with a new agency speaking, and we're not actually approved yet so it's really easy to be super hopeful, but I can just feel it in my bones. This is our year to finally meet our first child.
It's amazing to think back to the first time we were going through the approval process. I feel miles more prepared and have learned SO MUCH since then. It took us almost a year to get through the approval process the first time and this time only a few months (and only that long because I had to wait for other people to accomplish most of the steps); and nothing transferred so it's not like we had less to do. I read a post from another adoptive mom that said being an adoptive mom is "being handed a mountain of paperwork, riding a roller coaster of anxiety, facing a seemingly insurmountable amount of fees, and standing tall and asking, 'What else?'"
The first time around I was so defensive every step of the way and each time I would shut down and then have to work through my frustration before I could even complete the task. This time I just plowed through the checklists like a freaking hurricane and then was like, "What else do you need? My kidney? Sure thing, Monday work for you for the surgery?" I can't speak from experience but that made me feel like I was finally ready to be a mom. Bring. it. on.
We have one more home study appointment that has been postponed until next Saturday for reasons out of our control and then (finger's crossed they won't have dug up any dirt that makes them no longer want to partner with us) we'll be approved again and I'll spend my days trying my hardest not to let my (perhaps unrealistic) expectations ruin my faith that it will happen.
Okay, I was going to end there, but I apparently can't just walk away with such a trite 2018 thing so maybe I'll tack on Matthew 19:26.
2018:
Get a dang baby already. Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible".
That's better, it has more meat to it. There's nothing like taking bible verses out of context to use for personal inspiration.
No, I changed my mind. I don't like taking Bible verses that much out of context. Let's try Mark 11:22-24.
2018:
Get a dang baby already. And Jesus answered them, "Have faith in God. Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be taken up and thrown into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours."
Yes, I like that better. Here's to 2018!
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| Best 9 Instagram Photos for 2017. Because I always include this in my reflection. |
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