I am without proper words to describe the past couple of days. God is SO good and to see Him through the many many people who have helped, visited, and encouraged us over the past few day is truly overwhelming. I cannot remember any time I have felt more filled with gratitude and joy. Sure our wedding was also filled with joy and love, but it seemed kind of high stress, and missed the point where colors, and decorations seemed to overshadow the glory of Christ that marriage is founded on. I cannot begin to imagine what Heaven will be like but I feel as if i’ve caught a glimpse today. Hearing continual encouraging words, or visitors who adamantly told us to “keep the change”, wished a kind word or blessing or even prayed over us and promised to “keep praying”.

To hear individuals, of various races, and backgrounds express how “refreshing” it is to see young people do such a “selfless thing” and how seeing such a “nice young couple” inspires them too. The joy that I get from talking only a couple minutes at the checkout and using some of these secular comments to open doors for Adam and I to share our faith and plant the seeds for the Holy Spirit to do His work is, why I believe, Adam and I are so overcome with joy tonight. Despite running on literally four hours of sleep last night, I am so energized and cannot contain my excitement until I pound out this blog post and tell the world about how great our Maker, God, the Father is.

To the  older gentlemen with a cane dawning the Vietnam Veteran hat who wandered the entire sale site only to stop at the checkout table empty handed but tell his story of adopting two children, now grown and have children of their own,…and not buy a single item but donate to our cause…Thank you for your service and for your story

To the 30 something mother with an adopted sibling group of three brothers, who shared her beautiful story of having and open adoption with the boys birth mom and how truly amazing it is for the entire family…Thank you for your reassurance

To the young wife with fibromyalgia who shared her and her husband’s infertility struggle and are now beginning the path to adoption…Thank you for helping us realize we are not alone.

To the young father with the sleeping one month old in his moby wrap who offered prayers and an extra donation when he and his wife have thier own two small children to provide for…thank you for your generosity

To the elderly woman who scooped up and bought all the plastic cups and shared her intentions of donating them to the women’s homeless shelter where  she volunteers at and sees countless young mothers…thank you for you compassion and protection to those less fortunate

To the middle aged woman who shared her story of being an adopted daughter and how she praised us for doing open adoption as she “wished she would have had that instead” and for reassuring us that there is no difference between “adoptive mom” or “birth mom” but rather that family is a beautiful term…thank you for confirming our decision

To the busy mom in the hijab who didn’t speak english but allowed me to play basket ball with her toddler while she shopped…Thank you for validating that love extends beyond race,  skin color or even language

To the literally HUNDREDS of people who took a networking card, passed our sale information on to co-workers, friends and neighbors making us the number one post on our nextdoor neighborhood, and dubbed “that huge adoption garage sale”…thank you for helping be a part of our journey.

There are so many other known and named family and friends who have helped, and I promise to post about them when the sale is over (they are also invaluable to us) but today I am so overwhelmed with joy to the many strangers that I cherish as a piece of this adoption journey puzzle. To God be the Glory!