after tucking Bryson into his big red bed, I laid down beside him and stared at his perfect little face. It was dimly lit by his lava lamp (no, we're not hippies--it was a white elephant gift that we got this past Christmas [thanks a lot mom!] so we put it in Bryson's room). The lamp gave me just enough light to study every curve of his innocent little face. As I looked at him, I was reminded of the first time I held him after bringing him home from the hospital. It's a moment I will never forget because it was the moment he forever became a piece of my heart. Tears filled my eyes then and filled my eyes again tonight as fell in love with him all over again!Then, jolting me out of my thoughts, Bryson pointed to the stack of books on his nightstand and eagerly said, "book" so I grabbed the book on the top of the stack and began reading.
It was a book called I Am a Child of God with beautiful artwork by Greg Olsen. The booked talked about how much Heavenly Father loved little Bryson, which didn't help the tear situation any because it made me think about all of the many miracles that brought Bryson to us.
When I finished, rather than reaching for another book like usual, I set the book aside and decided to tell Bryson the story of his birth. He listened so intently as I told him about his mommy Kim and how much she loved him and wanted to keep him, but that more than anything, she wanted him to have a good life with a mommy AND daddy that would love him just as much as she did. I told him about the special plan Heavenly Father had for his life and how he was led to us because Heavenly Father had chosen us to be his daddy and mommy. I told him that because mommy and daddy couldn't have children, our family had to be brought together by special angels like mommy Kim so that we could be an eternal family.
It's strange, but every time we talk to Bryson about his adoption, he gets very still. His eyes widen and he looks so intently into our eyes as we share the most beautiful story of love he will ever hear. A story about the selfless love of his birth mommy (our angel), the purposeful love of his Heavenly Father who worked many miracles to bring us together, the overwhelming love of his Savior who made it possible for him to be apart of an eternal family, and the love of his mommy and daddy who feel so blessed to have been chosen to be his earthly parents.
The very intent and reverent look Bryson had on his face this evening as I talked to him about his adoption was the same looked he had on his face as he looked into the sealer's eyes during his sealing to us in the temple. It's as if somehow his little spirit knows-- knows how special he is to have been adopted.
Before turning off the lava lamp, I asked Bryson if he loved his mommy Kim. He looked at me and while smiling, nodded his head YES. We love you too Kim! There isn't a day that goes by that we don't thank our Father in Heaven for you.
