One year ago today...

One year ago today, I was checking my email like always. Some emails were immediately deleted, other's were read and responded to, and other's were read and simply ignored because there really wasn't anything to say. And then there was this email...

Subject : Special Little Baby Boy from China Available for Adoption

December 2009	Meet Keith....waiting for his family in China! Meet "Keith!" He is a precious 1 year old baby boy that has an unrepaired cleft lip and palate. He is waiting for his forever family! Famlies interested in getting more information can call **Name** at ***-***-**** or email ***@*****.com Merry Christmas from the Open Door China Program!

You know the rest of the story, but there he was, our Xander! I forwarded this email to Kevin with this statement: "Kind of random, but I got this email today from an agency that I got information from about three years ago. Isn't he cute?!"

To which he responded:

"Yeh. Keith. That's funny."

Later that evening when he came home I let him know that I was very serious about learning more about this little boy named "Keith." He did not argue, only knew that I would not stop until I was certain that we were not supposed to bring him home. This was on a Wednesday, we had the weekend to decide if we wanted to pursue this. By the time Monday morning came around I had heard the Lord tell me, "I'm about to do something big, are you going to be a part of it?" It was His was of telling me, you are such an insignificant part of this whole thing, My work will be done whether you are here or not, but I am going to let you come along if you are willing. That was it, that's all I needed. This wasn't about me, it wasn't even about the cutest little Chinese boy I had ever seen, it was about God, and only God.

So here we are. A year later and we have filled out and signed TONS of paperwork, travelled to China for 2 weeks and had and recovered from 2 surgeries. I'm not going to pretend that it has been easy, far from. There have been a lot of tears, frustration, even anger. There has been lost sleep, lost freedoms and occasionally lost tempers. But in the middle of all the adjustments and sacrifices we have gained a son, and become a family of four! We've got a long way to go, we're not perfect (never will be), and we still struggle more than we would like to admit. I often think back to the words the Lord gave to me that weekend one year ago, and sometimes that is the only thing that keeps me going. It not about me, it's not about Xander, it's not about the McNeelys in Texas. It is about God, for God, because of God!

Photo by Janet Mack Photography