Wonderbaby

Imagine a sister. A fantastic sister. Someone who you love and admire and appreciate for all that she does to hold the family together and nurture those around her. That's my sister R.J.

Now imagine that that same sister who has been married for the last several years to a wonderful man (Groove), and has been unable to have a child that whole time. It's been hard for me to watch, not because they've felt sorry for themselves, but because I have observed their remarkable talents as potential parents go unrealized thus far. As in most cases of infertility, it has just seemed inherently unfair.

Now envision a miracle--a miracle of grand proportions that enters into their lives. Her name is Wonderbaby.

Wonderbaby is from Western Samoa--where Groove is from. On an unexpected day in May, Groove and R.J. received a call from his parents there saying that they had a baby for them, and wanted to know what they would like to name her.

What the? . . . They had no idea what to think. But, as is often the case with God's hand in things, one thing led to another, and they were on the road to adopting Wonderbaby.

That road had its twists and turns--uncertainty, and a great deal of longing on the part of my sister to finally hold Wonderbaby in her arms. However, along the way, I have been astounded at the phenomenon that has taken place. It has rivaled Big-O's miraculous adoption in its magnitude, and I have often found myself thinking that it is the Lord's international equivalent.

Wonderbaby came home with her parents last night. Her deep chocolate eyes and supple brown skin were almost as irresistable as her huge grin. Wonderbaby's ability to stay contagiously happy in the face of hours of international travel tells you much about her temperament, and I think she's earned her nickname for many reasons. More than anything, my heart melted to see Wonderbaby's magical effect on her mommy and daddy:
It's amazing to consider the healing effect that a baby can have on those around her. In this case, Wonderbaby leaves individuals behind in Western Samoa that will have their souls etched by her magic forever. As a family, we honor these precious people, and thank them for the joy they have brought to another family that will forever be changed by their goodness, as well as by God's unmistakable hand.

Welcome, Wonderbaby, welcome! We couldn't be more excited to love you.