One month from today our car will be packed and we will be on our way to DC to meet our sweet Julia! I can't even tell you how excited we are, but I don't think we have to because it is so evident how much excitement there is from our family and friends as well. It's truly unbelievable and we feel so blessed.
Our pasta dinner seems like months ago. I can't Believe I am just getting around to blogging about it. Almost a hundred people came out to show their support and join in the excitement about Julia's pending arrival. And significantly more people showed their support by buying tickets and donating them to other local families. Just another example of this sweet girl across the world bringing people together.
The day of the dinner we arrived at the armory at 2. Talk about a blank slate. We were starting from scratch and It is quite intimidating to have seemingly 1 million things to do and not enough time to do them. Then as always, and not surprisingly, God provided. First came the C family and they helped us set up all of the tables and chairs as well as all of the furnishings and the raffle tables. Soon after that S family came. They were Our cooks for the day. I don't know what we would've done without them… Besides eat really really bad pasta. Then K came, as always, putting herself last and offering whatever needed to be done. I have never met such a willing and faithful servant. At this point it was about 4 o'clock and everything except the last of the cooking was just about done. The P family came and said okay we are here what can we do? I told them they could come sit with me while I eat a cookie. And although it probably doesn't sound like a great use of time, I knew that a few minutes with them wouldn't calm me down and allow me to refocus on what was really important. So we shared a cookie and then all went downstairs to help with the cooking.J's Mom arrived soon after that with bread in hand. She was also our waitress all night, serving everyone with a smile.
Long story short, there was always enough hands, always someone ready and willing to help. The whole day and night we're just so enjoyable and it was amazing to see some many people coming together for this sweet little girl across the world. The rest of the night included some awesome music by my dad and brother and family friend who all so generously donated their time and talent. As always, my family was there from the beginning, giving every form of support there is.
Another community of people that have gone so far above and beyond is our past Doula client. Just thinking of how many past and current Doula clients were in attendance and have given their support brings tears to my eyes. Such Lasting friendships and bonds have been formed and I am forever grateful. In fact one of our Doula families so generously booked our hotel in DC with their hotel reward point. We are just so grateful and blown away by this generosity.
When we counted the proceeds at the end of the night it made me smile from ear to ear. We have all of the hosting/adoption finances in a spreadsheet and a couple of weeks before when I was planning for the dinner, I ambitiously entered in $1000 For the anticipated proceeds of this dinner. I quickly erased it, second-guessing myself and not wanting to be disappointed if it ended up being half of that. Well that God is a funny God. Our proceeds just from that night ended up being $1010. In fact, just before we counted, a sweet young lady came up to us and gave us some money, saying that was all she had but she wanted to give it to us. The answer in my heart to that was, then that is all we will need. It continually amazes me how each drop in the bucket and to something so much more. There has not been one need that has gone unfulfilled in this whole process.
Which brings me to my next thought… So many people keep implying that we are saving Julia. I disagree. She has saved us in so many ways. Is so easy to get caught up in worldly things and all of the things that you don't have and all of the things that you think will make your life better if you were to have them. And then something like this experience comes along and shows you how you have everything that matters already. It was so easy to take advantage of so many things just two months ago. And I am certainly not perfect but just smelling that Julia will be coming has made me a better person. a more faithful person, a more loving person, and hopefully J would agree a better wife. a couple of months see how it was so easy to get upset at J for any reason. A lot of times I would work against him. But when we decided to host Julia I realize that something would have to change. That the little things would have to be treated as little things and not the big things that they were becoming. Leaving clothes on the floor? Not a big deal. Having a husband who will take an orphan into your home and be just as excited about it as You are? That is what matters. This may be the most cliché thing I have ever said, but when you were working towards a goal that matters it is very easy to start being on the same team and working together instead of against each other.
It's funny that sometimes we still hear surprise from people that we are doing this because according to so many others standards we do not have "enough". I must say this experience already has completely transformed and what our idea of "enough" is. And when you realize that a little girl across the world is depending on you and having hoping you, you simply Can't continue acting like a spoiled brat in your marriage and acting as if the world revolves around you. Because it doesn't. Just another thing we have to to thank Julia for… Showing us that we have more than enough.
And now for the roses… Again we are so overwhelmed by the love and support of so many of our friends and family. We had gotten together a few days ago with friends of ours who won the 50/50 raffle at the Pasta dinner. They casually mentioned how they use their winnings to go buy a rosebush to plant in their yard so that every time they see it they can think of Julia. How. Beautiful. Is. That?!
So I encourage you, readers, to take time and smell the roses. And think of Julia. And what really matters in your own lives. Before you raise your voice at your spouse or your children, Before you stress over something, before you take on the problem as your own, just think… Does it really matter? I can't help but realize more and more that in life true happiness is obtained by giving to others. I cannot express how grateful we are for the privilege of having Julia and how our lives have Infinitely Been changed.