Reflection

It's good for me, this blog.

Because when you've moved into the day-to-day busy-ness of life, you get so encumbered by all the little stuff, that you feel your feet begin to sink a little.  Your perspective changes, and it takes intention to remember to "zoom out" and take a moment to reflect on the bigger picture - what the puzzle is becoming, and what it will become when it's complete.

I need to be intentional about zooming out a little more often.  I need to keep my eyes on Jesus, because lately those day-to-day encumbrances are wearing me out.

A little philosophical today.  Part of being a New Year, I suppose.  It's natural, at least for me, to reflect, especially on the past year.

And the past year has certainly been interesting.

I did not expect, for example, that I would be sitting here, on January 1st, *not* watching the Broncos (because the game is irrelevant to their disappointing season), in a skating rink while my two youngest kiddos are moderately entertained.  (Yes, sad but true, only moderately.)  I did not expect that while I am usually looking forward to the structure of school re-starting, that this year I would be counting the days (and I have been almost since the beginning of break).  I did not expect to have celebrated Thanksgiving, a child's birthday, Christmas, and New Years as a mom of four.

And yet, here I am.

Charlie.  He's been with us just over 8 weeks.  CRAZY!  It's been an interesting ride.  We are all still learning each other.  In some ways, things feel very natural.  In others, it's been quite challenging.  Simply put, he's just different from us - he is not a Wiggins, not naturally.  He will have to learn the way of the Wiggins.  And he will.  It just takes time.

And patience.

But we are 1/3 of the way through the wait to petition the courts for adoption.  Already!

But I'll tell you what - I am excited about 2017, because already I have begun to try to teach Charlie that

• when you are adopted into God's family, you have a NEW identity.  You become a NEW creation.
• when you are adopted into the Wiggins family, you will also have a NEW identity.  You will have a NEW name.  We have NEW ways of doing things.
• it's a NEW beginning.
• in August he'll begin a NEW school.

Pretty exciting, yes?  This year will be life-changing for Charlie.  For us, too, of course, but it will really mark a turning point in his little life.

Time to pack it up, both my stuff here at the skating rink, and my musings on 2016.  Be blessed in the New Year.