adoption update

Forgive me if this seems like a mixed post - I'm going to try to give facts and maybe mix in (gasp) emotions - and I'm not sure where to begin.


Our birth mother has endured over 15 hours of labor and surgery to birth our handsome (oh yes, we have a small picture and he is super handsome) son.  He was born sometime last night and is healthy.  I'm not sure of his actual birth date, but honestly that doesn't seem so important.  We do know he has ten toes - five on each tiny foot.


Here, I'd like to try and insert how odd it feels to be the adoptive family - because last night we were so concerned with our strong birth mother's health, it felt odd to want to celebrate our son's birth too.  We are overjoyed that our son has been born, are incredibly worried about how our birth mom is feeling, and not quite sure what to do with ourselves today.  


There is a young woman, just out of her teen years, who has just endured physical agony for almost 24 hours to give birth to a child she isn't planning to keep.  Our hearts break for her.  I can't think about her decision without tears.  While we are overwhelmed with joy at the thought of bringing our son home, this selfless young woman faces the choice of leaving the hospital without her child that she has carried for nine months, or deciding to parent.


Because of the length labor and method of delivery, the hospital stay for birth mom and baby will be longer.  Adoption papers will not be signed until a medical discharge occurs (from my understanding at this time).  We do not know when this will occur (and are thankful our families are being flexible about their travel plans).


Right now R and I are just waiting.  We are thankful for your prayers, and ask that you continue to keep our sweet birth mom in your prayers as well.  We are also thankful for your excited texts, emails, and messages - please forgive me if I take a while to respond, I am happy that he is here, confident in God's ways being higher than mine, and so, so scared.  


A couple of years ago R bought me a book called Posterity.  It is a book full of letters of great Americans to their children.  The following is an excerpt from a letter that Jonathan Edwards wrote to his 15 year old daughter while she was away from the family visiting friends:  Though you are at so great a distance from us, yet God is everywhere.  You are much out of reach of our care, but you are every moment in his hands.  We have not the comfort of seeing you, but he sees you.  His eye is always upon you.