The world was preparing for a tiny miracle...one year ago (posted by Jason)

(Photo taken on Adoption Day, September 1, 2008 in TQ)

Actual Warning on Hair Dryer: “Warning – Do not use this product while still in the shower.”

Well, DDUUUUHHHH, as Halle-Grace would say. But the fact of the matter is that the warning is on there because someone somewhere tried to use the thing while in the shower. Sometimes the obvious still needs to be said, which is the reason for my blog entry this time.

Just as obvious as not using a hair dryer in the shower, this message may seem as obvious, but then again, based on some things I have heard in the past 48 hours I am not so sure.

Within the past two days we have been asked by different people, “What are you going to tell Halle-Grace about her adoption? Do you think she will have any identity issues with being adopted and wondering if you could love her like your own?” Aside from lovingly smacking people like this, (obviously not the appropriate response), I want to shake them and try and make them hear how ludicrous this actually sounds.

Even though people say she favors me somewhat…looking at Shannon will tell her she is clearly adopted (remember the lady in Vietnam who took photos of Shannon because she stuck out like a sore thumb). Telling her she is such will be as easy as her looking at her mom.

Now for the second part, will she wonder if we could love her as much as our own? I simply say SHE IS OUR OWN. We may not be compatible as organ donors for Halle-Grace, but she is our child. Quite frankly we are simply the stewards of God’s child, the same as our parents are to us. She is HIS and he has blessed us with an ultimate child to love and care for. I am however grateful that he entrusted us to care for and love her during my time on earth.

Halle-Grace will face many issues in life, as we all do. She will have her heart broken by someone sometime (I’m gonna kill him!), she will know the frustration of being outside of the group sometime, she will experience being laughed at for some reason, she will be called some name by someone (I’ll kill that jerk too). These are things that we all experience at one time or another in our lives. But there is one thing she will NEVER experience. She will NOT KNOW what it feels like to doubt the love of all of her parents; her birth parents for loving her enough to consciously leave her at a conspicuous place to be found and cared for at the orphanage, ultimately to be given to us. And she will NEVER doubt our love for her! Shannon and I both simply will not allow that to happen. Quite the opposite, I fear her trouble will be embarrassment from the frequent, repeated, open showers of affection from us that she is doomed to endure forever!!!

So as we near one-year anniversary of this world being a better place I reflect on the greatest worldly gift I have ever received. God blessed us with an ultimate gift and responsibility. We near her first birthday and I hope and pray I get to experience and celebrate MANY, MANY, MANY more with her before I am called on. I hope to see you all at the celebration one week from today!

The most BLESSED dad on earth!

Jason