Christmas Flour
December 28, 2006
Because we went to New York for Thanksgiving this year we decided to stay home for Christmas. There is always mixed feelings about this since on the one hand we miss all the hub-bub of being with lots of family, but on the other hand we enjoy the quiet and stillness of being at home.
Parents will understand when I say that once you have a child it's hard to imagine your family without them. I can remember that feeling most distinctly with Morgan, our firstborn, after having her at home for a couple weeks. Then, who would have imagined that we would have three more within the next four years. With each child there was this overwhelming feeling that they belonged. Each child is so woven into the fabric of your family that it's hard to think of them not being there.
Going into our adoption we weren't wholly certain about how this dynamic would play out with Grace. Well, she's been a part of our family for seven months now and there is absolutely no difference in how tightly she is knit into us.
Logically I knew that we would love her and that she would be every bit as much a Brown as any of the other children. What I didn't know, however, is how amazingly similar the experience would be to having a biological child.
Several months ago, Tricia and I were talking and one of us remarked how we don't even "see" the difference is Grace's features. In fact, if you were to ask me, I would say she looks as much like a Brown as any of the rest of us.
It's wonderful to me how God has put a deep love in our hearts for Grace. There is all of the sympathy and pain that we as parents experience when one our children is hurt. There's that glowing pride when a child takes his or her first step. There is that joy when you call them to you and they happily obey (at which time you're compelled to pick them up and give them a big squeeze). And, of course there is a simple delight in merely looking at them as they play or sleep, knowing that God has entrusted them to you as a special gift. All of these things abound in our heart towards Grace in the very same way they did with our first four children.
One of our traditions is to make homemade cinnamon rolls on Christmas Eve for the next morning. This year, I took on that responsibility and shortly after our candlelight service at church I began the process. While making them I had Grace on the counter with me and after a couple of minutes she wanted to get down, so I put her down with the big container of flour. She was as happy as could be pushing it around the kitchen. When she got a little tuckered out she plopped herself on it and asked (actually, made some noises and pointed) for a drink.
Tricia and I were greeted early Christmas morning with children bouncing off the walls as they waited for us to stagger out of bed (Tric was up very late wrapping gifts). Everyone went straight to their stockings and opened all their little treasures. After which we went to the table and started the day off right with a healthy breakfast of pure sugar—but, mmmmm mm, was it good.
Grace unwrapped her first gift which was a snow globe. She is fascinated by them, and sure enough she had no interest in any of her other gifts after unwrapping it.
At one point in the day, it was quiet and I got to thinking about how incredible it is that Grace was not only able to open a pile of gifts and receive all kinds of attention and love, but that she has heard the name of Jesus many times already and even though she probably understands very little, was able to hear the story of His birth and how He came to redeem us.
God's grace is simply astounding.
Anyhow...Merry Christmas.
P.S. You can go to the photo album at the top and click on the "Christmas 2006" album and see more photos.
