A big BIG Day

Zachary met his birth mom for the first time this summer!!  What a big day!

We went on vacation to Michigan, and spent a couple of days in Detroit.  One of the days, we spent several hours at the Henry Ford Museum with Zach’s birth mom, Miss C.

Over the course of the past 8 years, we have exchanged letters and photos with Miss C.  She has sent photos of her children — Zach’s birth brothers and sisters — and updates on each of them.  We have sent letters every 9-12 months, updating Miss C on things that are going on here.

We talk about Miss C and pray for her all the time.  When Zach started showing interest in meeting her, we decided that it was time to go to Michigan.  We were all so excited for the day to come when Zach could meet Miss C for the first time!

When the day arrived, Zachary was surprisingly nervous.  I had never seen him like that at all.  He was quiet and awkward, where usually he is noisy and excited.  (Good noisy, usually!)  Miss C brought her two youngest children (16 and 17 years old) with her so Zach was able to meet two of his birth siblings, too!

When we first saw each other, there were introductions and hugs all around.  A sweet, sweet reunion.  Miss C would have been satisfied just to sit and hold Zippy on her lap, I think.  She would have been thrilled with hugs and hand-holding and major connecting, but Zach was SO nervous!  He did beautifully and was sweet and respectful, but he was quiet and a little bit distant.  He really felt the hugeness of meeting Miss C for the first time.

Several times during our time together, Miss C grabbed me in a strong embrace, whispering thanks in my ear.  How could she ever find words??  How could I ever find words to say back??  But where our words fell short, our physical touch, our eye contact, our amazing shared love for a precious, nervous 8-year-old filled in the gaps.

We had a lovely time.  We made some amazing memories.

When it was time to go, Zachary spontaneously went to Miss C with a hug and said goodbye.  Then he went to his birth brother and sister and did the same.  He wished the visit could go on and on, but he was so relieved it was over.

On the way to the car, Zach said he wished he would have asked Miss C what her favorite sport is.  And what she likes to watch on TV.  And what her favorite food is.

We hope to take another trip to Michigan this winter to hang out with Miss C again.  He’ll still be nervous, I’m sure, but I’m hoping that each time will get easier and more comfortable.

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Did you know that November is National Adoption Month?  An astounding statistic: over 100,000 children in the United States are waiting to be adopted! More than 143 million orphans worldwide are waiting to be adopted!  What can we do? We can adopt!  And we can sponsor!  And we can pray!  Visit Bethany Christian Services or this site for more information.