Eight Years of “YES!”

Today we celebrate 8 years of JONATHAN, the one I call our “exclamation point” (!!!) for two reasons. First, we thought he was probably our last child, and second, he lives life with 100% exuberant extroversion! And by 100% I don’t mean 99%. I give him the full 100. Being with people is his jam! And if you’ve ever engaged in conversation with him, you can attest to the fact that there is rarely anything he doesn’t deliver with full-throttled enthusiasm.

I sometimes contemplate Jonathan’s life and wonder, though, what if we had said “no” to adoption? What if we had said “no” to special needs adoption? What if we had said “no” to the rolling laughter and sparkle he’s brought to our family because of his vibrant personality? And “no” to the countless tears I’ve shed over his body… the difficulties, setbacks, and limitations?

What if we had said “yes” to what was comfortable?

The ripple effect of “what if’s” is staggering when I start to consider not knowing him. Not knowing Kaylie, the precious woman who nurtured him in her womb. Not knowing the myriads of people he’s connected us to.

His existence is a miracle in itself, and on days that are hard for him (and thus all of us!), I think back to his origins with confidence and think, “Yes, Lord. You wanted him here. You really wanted him here. I’m so glad You moved in us to say ‘yes.’”

Saying “yes” to Jonathan made us say “yes” to LIFE! SO MUCH LIFE! “Yes” to personality!! “Yes” to victories and defeats, struggles and successes great and small. “Yes” to learning more than I ever expected about the human body…and “yes” to deeper worship of our incredible creator God! “Yes” to being stretched beyond what I’m able and “yes” to God’s strength in my weakness.

It’s meant “yes” to understanding the importance and dignity of accessibility and “yes” to the people who have advocated for that in our country. We’ve said “yes” to welcoming in precious physical therapists, orthotists, adaptive equipment professionals, surgeons, nurses, and hospital staff.

It’s meant “yes” to compassion in the aches of other people’s worlds and “yes” to gratitude for people who have compassion in ours. It’s meant “yes” to trials and “yes” to growth, “yes” to creativity and quick-pivot thinking.

We’ve had the joy and privilege to say “YES” for eight years to countless benefits even beyond these.

I cannot imagine our world without Jonathan in it, so today we celebrate eight years of all those “YESes” God has given us thanks to the little guy He put in our hearts and then in our home.