This Is Important

Adoption is important to God.

In case we didn't fully understood it before, now there is absolutely no question. Wanna know how I know that? Because the enemy put in some serious overtime to destroy our "first week at home" efforts.

This past week has been nothing short of a case study in spiritual attack. Ready for this crazy list? Here we go...

I was sick before boarding the plane in Ethiopia... and miserable by the time we got home. It got worse and made wanting to spend time doing anything besides sleeping (like bonding!) really hard. Turns out I'm insanely allergic to grass (I had no idea) and had a horrific reaction that required numerous prescriptions including Vicadin (no joke) to function. Thankfully the doctor at urgent care was a Christian and reminded me that this truly is an attack. It still took me weeks to get better and feel like myself.

In the meantime, just when I felt an emotional breakthrough, I got pink eye. Too many poopy diapers and too little washing of the hands, I suppose. Now I cannot put my face close to Violet's, and have to be careful about even touching her. Then Daniel got pink eye. In both eyes. He was unable to attend preschool the first week as planned... instead he was quarantined with us. It took us more than 2 weeks, 2 trips to the doctors and 2 prescriptions to finally shake it.

Jetlag is always a bear... but even moreso when your baby is still sleeping in 3 hour increments. Her sleep cycle reverted as we got home. Exhaustion doesn't begin to describe it. (And my period started the day we landed... too much information, I know, but it messes with your body and emotions in a very real way - especially when tired.)

In the drive-through window to get pink eye medication... the car broke down. Then the AC went out in the OTHER car.

At some point, you have to start laughing about the attacks.

During the entire first week the worst attack (as it always is) was on my emotions. The enemy's only decent trick is to play mind games, and that he did. Bonding mind games. Mind games that attempted to pit my children against each other - resenting one for the sake of the other (and vice versa). Mind games that challenged the comfort we had found with Violet in Ethiopia - suddenly she didn't "feel" like mine or even smell like mine. Mind games that I nearly fell for in my weakened physical and emotional state.

One of my last projects at work before I left for Africa was to help various speakers research and prepare for a 12 week sermon series on spiritual warfare. I thought my role was to help them prepare, but in hindsight, God was using it to prepare ME for what was heading our way.

The enemy has nothing on us. We are calling him on his feeble attempts to destroy the incredible story God has written for our family. He has no place in our home or in our lives.

Thank you Jesus for your power and your word - because of them - we are whole and healthy again.