Nine Months

Today Micah is 9 months old.

Nine months.

It was a busy day starting at 7am.  All three kids in tote, we went to physical therapy for Samantha, then to a doctor's appointment.  It doesn't sound that complicated, but believe me, it was.  There were a lot of little stops in between and shuffling from building to building.  Cranky, impatient complaining, a time out, walking far, learning new vocabulary such as "crosswalk," leaked out bottle, singing, and peaceful listening to stories on tape (yes, on cassette tape in the car).  Perhaps because of the busy nature of the morning, it didn't dawn on me until this afternoon that today, my son is 9 months old.

Tonight, it hit me that Micah is 9 months old.

And what that means.

Nine months.

Generally speaking, a healthy pregnancy lasts 9 months.  Lindsey had a healthy pregnancy as she carried Micah...for nearly 9 months.  During that time she cared for him, made sure he was safe and healthy, did all she could to protect this little baby boy so that he could have the best start in life, with us.  Can you imagine? Can you even imagine?  And during that time, she also felt him move, learned his patterns, and felt his spirit...all the time.

I remember when Samantha was 9 months old thinking, "Well, she's now been here longer than I was pregnant with her."  It's not that big of a deal, but for some reason, it struck me.  And so, with Callie, since I wasn't pregnant with her, it was different.  I had the same realization with her that I have with Micah tonight.

From this day on, this little child who is so lovingly ours, has been with us longer than he was with his birth mother.  

And the sense of responsibility sinks in deeper.
Wanting to make both Callie's and Micah's birth mother's proud.
Praying to teach them to choose the right path.
Trying to model what love is and how they can find it for themselves one day...in friendships, dating, and marriage.
Hoping to make sure that their sense of identity isn't just about being a Green, but being a child of God...a child who is unconditionally loved and accepted for their innate divinity.
Recommitting to be there, 120%...to be present and prepared for those talks that just spontaneously start, but that change the course of their life.

The 9 month mark for both Callie and Micah leave me filled with thoughts and new goals about how to be better.  Ask any mother out there...birth mother, adoptive mother...I believe ANY mother will say the same.  Nine months really changes a person.  I know it's has changed me for the better.